<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Wake Up Camelot by LFB72, Tari_Sue</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26010598">Wake Up Camelot</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72'>LFB72</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tari_Sue/pseuds/Tari_Sue'>Tari_Sue</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Cats, Children, Dogs, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Family Dynamics, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Merlioske-friendly, Modern Era, News Media, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, TV News, Television, breakfast television</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:49:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>84,690</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26010598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tari_Sue/pseuds/Tari_Sue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>To escape a toxic relationship, Merlin applies for a chance of a lifetime job in London working for <i>Wake Up Camelot!</i>, the BBC’s flagship breakfast TV show. New city, new country, new job, new friends, new loves, new enemies – life is a rollercoaster…</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>421</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>After Camlann Big Bang</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Interview</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/gifts">LFB72</a>.</li>


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25955284">Art: Wake up Camelot</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72">LFB72</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><b>Warnings:</b> too much sugar is very bad for your teeth.<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> I do not own Merlin, he is very much his own man and does not belong to anyone, except maybe Arthur, but don’t tell Arthur that because it will go to his head and he will boss poor Merlin about even more. I also don’t own and didn’t invent the concept of the Merlin TV Show, because if I did I'd be a lot richer, that belongs to the BBC and Shine. I will make no money from this, unless you want to pay me to take it down in which case bidding starts at £1,000.<br/><br/><b>Author's notes:</b> I have no idea how a real TV station operates, this is all entirely fictional, although some of the stories are loosely based on real news reports.<br/>    Although dates in this fic say ‘2020’, this is an alternate 2020 with none of the world events that actually happened – so no Covid 19 or anything else, just general fluff. Oh, and the London Marathon happened in April, like it was meant to.<br/>    Most of the chapter titles are taken from UK Children's Saturday Morning TV of the 70s, 80s and 90s, just because I wanted to – let's pretend they are what inspired Merlin, Arthur, Gwen et al to become breakfast TV presenters.<br/>    Thanks to Nympha_Alba for the beta, this was such a monster to go through and I was about ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater when you came to my rescue!<br/>    Thank you to Clea2011 for having a final check through for me even though she was trying to finish her own fic – I’ve had the privilege of reading some of that amazing fic and it's brilliant!<br/>    Thanks to Camelittle for also reading through and fixing all my last-minute errors. And for the jokes about brass – George would not have been the same without you, and neither would my commas. Also, my Brass Band Guru informs me that Sousaphones are American and not really part of a traditional English Brass Band, but it’s a strange big instrument for a strange little man and I didn’t want to change it to a tuba, so that inaccuracy is on me.<br/>    And last but definitely not least, thank you so much to the brilliant LFB72 for not only putting up with me again but for all the wonderful art, endless patience and just generally being a lovely person to know, and for being an absolute hero during the real 2020, but also for all of the good ideas in the fic – the bad ideas were mine!<br/>    Thank you to the mods for running my favourite fest once again, long may it continue!<br/>    And thank you to anyone who actually bothers to read this.</p>
<p><b>Artist's notes:</b><br/>I have had the pleasure of working with Tari_Sue previously and was delighted to have the opportunity to do so again! Not only is she a fabulous friend but a fantastic writer and it was a real privilege to see this story unfold and develop before my eyes. It's such a fun ride in such testing times and I've really enjoyed working on this and depicting our heroes in challenging circumstances. I had fun making up the images for Camelot's waking dragon but all credit should go to Tari_Sue for bringing her to life through animation. The story is packed with scenes that cry out to be illustrated and it would have been easy to go on. Many thanks to Mattie le Fay for being my art beta and for the mods who continue to run this glorious fest!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
<br/>
</p><hr class="hr"/>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>You know that thing, where your leg starts jiggling up and down completely of its own accord? And no matter how hard you try, you don’t seem to be able to stop.</p>
<p>That’s what was happening to Merlin’s left leg. </p>
<p>His right leg was absolutely fine. So far.</p>
<p>The kid opposite, with the artfully tousled hair, immaculate never-worn-before suit, and cold blue eyes, was glaring at him. All that served to do was to make Merlin’s leg knock up and down even more. Merlin’s hair always looked like a bird’s nest, no touselling involved. And the suit… well, it was his good one. Unlike Cold Eyes, he wasn’t some kid straight out of Uni, his suits had all been worn before. Surely that should count for something?</p>
<p><i>Look at you, so scruffy, who’s going to take you seriously looking like that?</i> </p>
<p>Maybe this leg thing wasn’t something that happened to everyone. Maybe there were people who did jiggle on purpose, just to be annoying. Cold Eyes over there obviously thought Merlin was being deliberately annoying, trying to put him off his interview. Little did he know, Merlin was perfectly capable of being annoying without actually trying.  </p>
<p>Merlin put his hands on his knee and tried to force it to still. It didn’t work. It was like his entire leg had been possessed. </p>
<p>He needed something to distract him. Maybe he should run to the loo, again. He might be so busy peeing that he’d miss his interview entirely, and then this whole thing would be for nothing. </p>
<p><i>You’re bloody useless, Merlin…</i> </p>
<p>His leg knocked harder and he shook his head to push the voice out. He had to get this job, move away, leave that voice and it’s owner behind forever. New start.</p>
<p>
  <i>Why would they want you? No one will ever want you. No one but me…</i>
</p>
<p>Cold Eyes actually looked like he was about to murder Merlin any second. Self-consciously, he again put his hand on his leg, trying to force it to stop. It worked! His right leg started jiggling instead.</p>
<p>Maybe he could use magic to stop time and run to the loo? </p>
<p>As far as he knew, not many people knew that magic even existed. He could do it, his dad could, his Uncle Gaius maybe a tiny bit, but other than that he’d only ever met one person who even knew about magic – well, except his Mam and Will, but they only knew because of him and his Tad. </p>
<p>Edwin, the boyfriend he was prepared to move to London to escape, had known far more about magic than Merlin had. Merlin had spent so long having the ‘keep the magic secret’ speech drummed into him that he was afraid to even use it most of the time. Edwin… funny how things that seem too good to be true usually are.</p>
<p>If he got the job, he could get away from Edwin, move to another country, be free. He could even try and look into magic more, see how many others like him were out there.  </p>
<p>Maybe he could use magic to speed up time so he didn’t have to wait as long for this interview. </p>
<p>Maybe he could use magic to send himself home to the safety of Cardiff, or no, not Cardiff, <i>he</i> was in Cardiff… his Mam’s alpaca farm in Gwynedd might be better, Edwin wouldn’t lower himself enough to go there. </p>
<p>The door opened and the previous candidate walked out. Merlin tried to gauge from her face how the interview went. Did her smile seem too tight? Was there strain around her eyes? She was pretty, pretty people should be on telly. Cold Eyes was pretty. Merlin wasn’t pretty. Why was he here? What on earth made him think he could fit in with the pretty people? He should just go home now.</p>
<p>
  <i>Look at you. All skin and bone, like a scarecrow…</i>
</p>
<p>Another woman followed the candidate out of the room and Merlin’s leg stopped jiggling all on its own. He stared in wide-eyed shock as <i> Morgana Lefey</i>, one of the most beautiful people on the planet, stood in the same room as him like she was a normal human being. </p>
<p>What in the name of hell was he doing here? This was so far out of his league it wasn't even the same sport. Radio, he should be doing radio. Perfect face for radio, isn’t that what they say? </p>
<p>
  <i>…a face that only your mother could love… </i>
</p>
<p>No, shut up!</p>
<p><i>… it’s just as well </i>I<i> love you, no one else would look twice. </i></p>
<p>Morgana looked down at her clipboard and a smile lit up her already beautiful face. Her gaze passed straight over Merlin like he didn’t exist and landed on Cold Eyes. “Mordred! Good to see you, come on through.”</p>
<p>As the door to the interview room closed behind them, Merlin breathed out a sigh and returned to his leg jiggling. Technically speaking, that had been his slot, he was here before Cold Eyes, and his interview should have been at least half an hour ago. Was there really any point in continuing with this charade? Clearly this Mordred fellow had it in the bag if he was friends with the great Miss Lefey. </p>
<p>
  <i>As if they would ever want the likes of you.</i>
</p>
<p>Anyway, jobs like this did not fall into the laps of people like Merlin. Thirty-three with ten-years' experience at a local station that was a subsidiary of Pendragon Media, and still beaten to the job by some kid fresh out of uni. He could chalk it down to good interview experience, right? And it would be rude to simply run away… </p>
<p>Maybe he could use magic to put himself out of his misery.</p>
<p>He had sort of assumed the interviews would be conducted by lesser mortals than <i>Morgana Lefey</i>. Surely she should have been jetting off to somewhere posh to interview the likes of Lady Gaga or Beyoncé, not stuck here interviewing for a lowly researcher position. </p>
<p>The door opened again but rather than Mordred coming out (it was a bit quick for that), a blond man strode out with a phone pressed to his ear. He stood over by the window with his back to Merlin, but he made no effort to lower his voice, clearly deciding that his conversation was important enough for everyone to hear. Not that there was anyone left but Merlin.</p>
<p>“No, no, uh huh. I really can’t, I’m in the middle of interviews right now. … I know. … Uh huh. … Yeah, Father insisted. … Well… can we get her in? … No. … No. … She used to know him, back in the day, maybe he could pull some strings… Possibly… Put her on the sofa, grill her a bit. … This could be quite the scoop. … Uh huh … uh huh. … Ok, well how about you go and find out and I’ll wait. … nah, to hell with the interviews, they can wait too.”</p>
<p>The blond lowered the phone and turned around, a halo of light from the window outlining him like some sort of shining knight. He surveyed the room and, of course, its sole remaining occupant. Merlin tried in vain to will his leg to stop moving as the one and only Arthur Pendragon, the most beautiful man on television, looked him up and down with a smirk on his handsome face.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
“You know, we have a lift.”</p>
<p>Merlin frowned at the non sequitur. “Huh?”</p>
<p>Arthur rolled his eyes and shook his head, no doubt impressed by Merlin’s eloquence.</p>
<p>“I said we have a lift. You know, box-type-thing that goes up and down between floors. If you are trying to get down stairs.” He nodded towards Merlin’s jack-hammering leg. ”Might be easier than trying to break through the floor with your foot.”</p>
<p>Merlin felt a deep blush rising up and across his face. He put both hands on his knee and tried to force his leg to stop. “I’m sorry, I’m really nervous.”</p>
<p>Arthur shook his head. “Don’t be. Morgana has her favourite picked out already, the interviews are just a formality. You did really well to get this far though, well done you.”</p>
<p>Before Merlin had the chance to get niggled at the patronising tone, a voice on the other end of Arthur’s phone made him turn back to his previous conversation. </p>
<p>Merlin sighed and went back to staring at the notices on the wall whilst fighting down the disappointment currently stabbing him in the chest. It really wasn’t like he thought he was in with much of a chance anyway, he was amazed he’d got all the way through to the final four. But that little spark of hope had clearly still been flickering away making him think he had a chance. </p>
<p>It wasn’t like he didn’t already have a job he loved, working as a researcher for <i>Bore Da Cymru</i>, the Welsh-speaking morning news show on his local station. But yeah, getting a shot on the world-renowned <i>Wake Up Camelot</i>, flagship national breakfast show on the BBC, would have been amazing, of course it would.</p>
<p>“What do you mean, she doesn’t remember him? He’s Uther bloody Pendragon, everyone remembers him!” It was difficult not listening in on Arthur’s conversation when he was practically shouting at the poor soul on the other end of the phone. “Look, Martin, Matthew, whatever your name is … fine, Morris then … just get me that exclusive with Dame Helena before Cenred gets there … uh huh …”</p>
<p>Merlin’s ears pricked at the mention of Dame Helena. He’d been doing a fair bit of research on her himself lately. Dame Helena DuMaurier, or plain old Helen Moira Jones, as she was known back in her home town of Port Talbot, was a reclusive Welsh opera singer who had not made a single public appearance for the last fifteen years – until three weeks ago. Suddenly, she had been seen at several events and there were rumours about a new album she was bringing out. Every media outlet in the world wanted an exclusive interview with her.</p>
<p>“…uh huh … No, I want an exclusive … yes … Offer her anything … I don’t care … yes, obviously within reason. Very well … yes … uh huh … I shall wait with baited breath for your call. Ok… I have to go. No, call me back in half an hour. Well ask George!” Arthur clicked the off button, possibly while the other person was still in the middle of talking. “No, by all means, keep me waiting while you blabber inanely and be generally ineffectual, it’s not like I am in the middle of conducting interviews,” he said to the now silent handset. </p>
<p>Arthur turned on his heel and stalked back over to the interview room door. </p>
<p>“Dame Helena’s a fake!” Merlin had no idea what made him blurt it out, he really shouldn’t have been listening in the first place, and he really shouldn’t give his findings away to someone who wasn’t even going to hire him.</p>
<p>“What?” If Merlin had been standing, Arthur’s glare would have made him take a step back.</p>
<p>“Uh, Dame Helena DuMaurier, that’s who you were talking about, right?” Merlin decided he might as well press on now that he’d opened his big mouth. “She’s a fake, I have a friend at the University of Bangor. They’ve developed this computer program that compares faces and analyses them, and they’ve been working on voice recognition too. She’s definitely not Dame Helena.” Merlin stopped, he should just let Arthur do his own research.</p>
<p>Arthur narrowed his eyes. “So who is she, then?”</p>
<p>“Um, well, I’ve done some research, but, well…”</p>
<p>“Go on.” Arthur’s words were hard and clipped and his eyes were trying to bore holes through Merlin, who was suddenly glad he didn’t stand a hope in hell of getting this job because he was starting to get an inkling of what the poor person on the other end of the phone was suffering.</p>
<p>“I, uh…” Merlin squared his shoulders and looked Arthur in the eye. “I can’t tell you that. I’ve already said more than I should have.”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“The work I have been doing is for <i>Bore Da</i>, my loyalty is to them, not you. I’ve told you enough to stop you looking stupid, but I’m not going to give away my research. You can call <i>Bore Da</i> and speak to my boss, Gaius Griffiths, he might sell you the story, but till then it’s ours.”</p>
<p>“<i>Bore Da</i> is one of ours, isn’t it? So technically we already own your story. Unless of course you’re hoping for a job from Cenred and just trying to stall me so he can get the interview first? Is that it?”</p>
<p>Merlin sat up a bit straighter, cheeks flushing with anger. How dare this stuck up clotpole question his integrity? “It’s up to you whether you believe me or not, but I’m not giving you any more than that.” Why were the pretty ones always such <i>prats</i>?</p>
<p>Arthur raised one perfect blond eyebrow, aristocratic nose wrinkling slightly, and stared at him like he was a particularly strange and ugly butterfly pinned to a board in a museum. “If I find you’ve been making this up just to make a fool of me, you will never work in television again.”</p>
<p>“Ohh, ‘never work in television again’, what are you, some sort of particularly crap Bond villain?” </p>
<p>“I beg your pardon?” The look on the prat’s face was priceless, Merlin was willing to bet that no one had ever mocked him before in his life.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to beg, you’re old enough to steal.” Damn it, now he sounded like Gaius, so much for having the high ground on not sounding like a prat. Not that Gaius was a prat, he was Merlin’s mentor and friend, but, well, yeah, not the point.</p>
<p>“You can’t talk to me like that!” There, that look of outraged incredulity again. Brilliant.</p>
<p>“Well don’t be such a… a… dollop… head then!”</p>
<p>Arthur spared him one more disbelieving look. “Dollop head? That’s what you’re going with? You insult the person who is about to interview you for a job and the best you can come up with is ‘dollop head’? My six-year-old could do better! Is this supposed to show me how good you are with words? I think <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> requires a rather higher level of candidate, I have no idea how you even got this far.” Arthur shook his head in disbelief as he walked back into the interview room without a backward glance.</p>
<p>Merlin dropped his head into his hands. Why on earth had he let that stuck up prat needle him like that? Arthur Pendragon had probably never been to a job interview in his life, his father owned the company. Oh well, it wasn’t like Merlin was ever going to get that job anyway.<br/>
<br/>
</p><hr class="hr"/>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Wide Awake Club</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>He couldn’t believe he was actually here. Surely there had been some sort of mistake? He hoped it wasn’t all just a cruel joke, he’d finally left Edwin, and his job, and moved all the way to London for this, they wouldn’t be that cruel would they?</p><p>The gleaming white offices and impossibly perfect staff of Pendragon Media were intimidating to say the least, and he definitely didn’t fit in here. </p><p>Screens mounted on the wall kept playing the ident from Pendragon’s flagship show, <i>Wake Up Camelot</i>. At least five gleaming golden dragons kept waking up in the middle of a crimson sun, then smirking down at him as though to say, <i>you don’t belong</i>.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p><br/>
Why should he be intimidated, these people were not better than him, he was very proud to be from Gwynedd, thank you very much!</p><p>Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Emrys, you might end up believing it. Two people walked past, so immaculate they could have been automatons.</p><p>
  <i>You never quite fit in, do you?</i>
</p><p>No, not now, shut him up, get him out of his head. </p><p>Alright, these people were all definitely better than him. The whole place looked like he might get vaporized if he breathed wrong. And yes, he’d been here for the interviews, but it had never seemed like the building itself mattered before – he hadn’t seriously believed he’d be spending any time here!</p><p>He’d never cared about his clothes before, but suddenly five seconds in this place and he’d never felt so old fashioned and scruffy, even slightly grubby, although he’d definitely showered that morning. He clutched his dilapidated laptop bag a bit tighter and attempted to straighten the collar of his coat.</p><p>“Ahem.” Someone cleared their throat loudly behind him. </p><p>He whirled around, nearly crashing into a small, neat, man, perhaps a couple of years older than him, with flat dark hair that looked like someone had put a basin on his head and cut around it.</p><p>“Er, hi! I’m Merlin.” He managed to shift his laptop to his other arm so that he could awkwardly hold his hand out.</p><p>The man looked at him like hand shaking was a completely alien concept. Or possibly it was just the idea of shaking <i>Merlin’s</i> hand. </p><p>“I am George Saunders. You’ll have to be here a lot earlier than this in future, today’s programme is nearly over. If you’d come with me.” And with that he headed up the large flight of see-through stairs. </p><p>“Um, I was told to be here for nine?” Merlin hurried to catch up. “I’m actually early. I mean, obviously I know that it’s an early start, of course. I’ve worked on productions like this before.”</p><p>George made a non-committal noise and carried on up the stairs, down a corridor, down another identical corridor, then a third. Merlin could already tell getting lost was in his future.</p><p>Finally George stopped at a large open-plan office with about fifteen desks, all filled with busily typing or talking journalists. Everyone else had clearly already been here for hours. <i>Wake Up</i> went on air at six till half nine every morning, and most of the staff would have been here since at least half four if not earlier. </p><p>“This is the <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> office where you’ll be working. I’ll give you a tour of the rest of the facility at precisely oh nine fifteen hours.” George folded his hands over his clipboard and looked down his nose at Merlin – no mean feat for a man several inches shorter than him.</p><p>“Quarter past nine, right, got it.” Merlin nodded and did his best to look like he was paying attention.</p><p>“This is Mordred, our other new recruit. He started two weeks ago.” George indicated the doll-eyed young man that Merlin remembered from the final interviews. Of course, if Mordred had only just finished his degree and hadn’t been working, he wouldn’t have had to give a month’s notice like Merlin.</p><p>He waved and sent a sort of half wave in Mordred’s direction, but only got a cold stare in return. Perhaps Mordred resented the fact that Merlin had been taken on as well when there was only supposed to be one job. He still wasn’t sure how that had happened anyway, last thing he knew, he’d pissed off the boss’s son at the interview, next they were giving him a six-month trial. He didn’t like to ask in case they changed their minds.</p><p>“So, where do I put my stuff?” It was nearly quarter past nine already, and George looked like the sort of person who would make Merlin carry his belongings all over the whole building if he wasn’t ready on time.</p><p>George frowned at the bag over Merlin’s shoulder. “Well, they had only intended to hire one new recruit, but as the Pendragons couldn’t decide between you we ended up with two. You’re both on trial, that means we are short one desk, as Mordred has already been here for a fortnight it wouldn’t really be fair to ask him to share his desk, so you will be hot-desking for the time being.”</p><p>“Hot-desking?” Seriously? At his old job he’d been one of the most experienced journalists there; he trained the new recruits and pretty much ran the office, and now he was expected to not even have his own desk like an intern or a rookie straight out of uni. </p><p>
  <i>…maybe you’re not as good as you like to think you are…</i>
</p><p>He tried to shake Edwin’s voice out of his head. Had he actually just taken a massive step backwards in his career? All to get away from a controlling arsehole who he’d been stupid enough to let into his flat and his bed – both of which the git still had possession of whilst Merlin was stuck in some grotty bedsit from hell because damn, but this city was expensive. </p><p>Maybe this was what he got for insulting Arthur Pendragon at the interview. He still wasn't convinced that this all wasn't just a great big joke at his expense.</p><p>“There will usually be someone who is out on location or working from home or on holiday.” George carried on, as though the problem was that Merlin didn’t know what hot-desking was. “You can check the rota and see which desks are available each day. Or sometimes the offices might be. Of course, Ms Lefey’s office is usually empty as she is often abroad, but she tends to keep her office locked. I really wouldn’t even try to go in there.” George stopped and looked at his watch. “Nine fifteen, time for the tour. You can drop your stuff off in the break room on your way past.”</p><p>Great. Just fabulous. The move to London was looking like a worse idea by the second. </p><p>Pendragon Media comprised more than just <i>Wake Up Camelot</i>, of course. There were several news and current affairs features, more than one sports programme and a fledgling culture show that was going out on Channel 4. </p><p>George was very thorough. By lunch he had led Merlin over every inch of Pendragon Media, from the <i>Wake Up</i> and upper management offices on the top floor to the archives in the basement. Fortunately, Sir Uther was not actually in the office, so Merlin didn’t have to meet him, but he did get introduced to far more people than he could possibly be expected to remember, and he had a feeling George would probably test him on it later.</p><p>It was with huge relief that the cafeteria came back into view, and with it the promise of a drink and somewhere to sit down. Of course, escaping George’s company at this point was out of the question, so he grabbed a sandwich and a drink and followed him over to a table where several other people were already chatting.</p><p>“… I kid you not, seriously, the size of a baby’s arm!” The speaker was Irish, gorgeous, long hair. One of the techies, cameraman or such. Merlin had been introduced to him earlier along with a load of other people and he couldn’t recall his name at all. He had longish hair and a certain amount of fashionable scruff. He clearly had a lot of charm and appeared to be very popular with the rest of the team. </p><p>“Room for a couple of little ones?” George asked.</p><p>The overly polite smiles George received seemed to include Merlin so they both sat down.</p><p>“By the way, I left my Sousaphone in the staff room last week and I know someone was messing about with it because of the fingerprint smudges all over it. I would appreciate a little respect for other people’s property,” George said before his bum had even finished landing on his seat. “Brass needs a lot of care to keep it looking nice, I don’t appreciate other people’s greasy paws making a mess and tarnishing it. Maybe you should all just stick to percussion.”</p><p>Merlin cringed and hoped the rest of his new colleagues weren’t going to judge him just because he’d come over with George. He didn’t even know what a Sousaphone was!</p><p>“Like anyone would touch that ridiculous thing, if you must be in a brass band could you not at least play something more interesting like a saxophone?” A pretty blonde woman pointedly moved her chair sideways to make a more room. She looked at Merlin. “I’m Vivian Olaffson, by the way, I read the weather. I have first class honours in both Physics and Atmospheric Science and an MA in Meteorology, before you get any ideas about me just being a pretty face, although obviously I’m that too. You’re the one that speaks Welsh, aren’t you?” She said the last bit very slowly, as though maybe Welsh was his only language and she thought he might have trouble understanding.</p><p>“Yes, but I speak Engl—” he started to say.</p><p>“Saxophones are woodwind, you don’t have them in a traditional brass band!” George burst out suddenly, as though he just couldn’t handle the inaccuracy a moment longer. </p><p>“It’s made of brass isn’t it? Not wood,” Vivian replied dismissively.</p><p>“How’s the first morning going then?” a pretty girl with a friendly smile that caused dimples in her cheeks asked Merlin from across the table as an argument started up. “Don’t worry about George, he plays in a brass band and takes other people touching his instrument very seriously. And Viv likes to wind people up.”</p><p>It took him a moment to realise that this was no ordinary person, but it was in fact Gwen Lyons, Arthur Pendragon’s other half, queen of the morning TV sofa, sitting chatting with lowly plebs like Merlin as though she were a normal human being. And now it was almost inevitable that if Merlin opened his mouth he was going to say something stupid and leave her thinking he was the world’s biggest idiot. So, always happy to oblige, he did indeed make himself look like an idiot by ramming half his sandwich into his mouth instead of answering her and then nodded, adding a thumbs up for good measure. </p><p>Gwen blinked rapidly and then, to Merlin’s horror, started giggling. And then he started snorting too whilst still trying to swallow his bite of sandwich, which in turn lead to him half laughing and half choking whilst all of his new colleagues sat and stared between them clearly wondering what in the hell was going on and the handsome camera guy who’d been speaking before started hitting him on the back to dislodge the sandwich. Great, if in doubt, make a fool of yourself in front of pretty people.</p><p>“Gwen, my sweet, torturing newbies is generally frowned upon till they’ve been here at least a month.” </p><p>The posh drawl of Arthur Pendragon was enough to sober Merlin up a little. Arthur pulled up a chair beside Gwen, effectively putting himself opposite Merlin. He raised a perfect blond eyebrow and wrinkled his aristocratic nose. “Oh dear, don’t tell me they gave the job to Ianto, they really must have been scraping the barrel. I thought the research position went to Mordred?”</p><p>Merlin rolled his eyes. “My name is Merlin, not every Welshman in the world is called Ianto you know. And they decided to give me a trial run as well, so bad luck you’re stuck with me for the next six months.” </p><p>Arthur picked up an enormous sandwich from his plate and gave a dismissive sniff. “If you last that long. Morgana really is far too soft-hearted.”</p><p>“Arthur, stop it.” Gwen smacked Arthur on the arm. She turned back to Merlin. “Ignore him, he’s always grumpy after a meeting with his dad. He’s not even supposed to be in the office today, so we can just pretend he’s not here.”</p><p>Merlin grinned at her and tried not to let Arthur’s words affect him. Arthur was clearly one of those good-looking blokes who was actually a bit of an arse, he’d already worked that much out at the interview. He’d clearly never had to work for anything in his life, why should Merlin care about his opinion? Yeah, he didn’t need perfect blond haired people in his life anyway, he was here because he was good at his job, Arthur Pendragon could go swivel.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Merlin pulled his pillow over his head and swore loudly. Not that anyone could hear him swearing – firstly there was no one else in his flat, and secondly the music from the flat above was so loud he could have been yelling obscenities up the fire escape and no one would have heard him, certainly not his neighbours ‘Yes Davy’ or ‘Yeah Babe’. </p><p>Why had he decided to leave his really nice apartment and all of his friends, and a job he loved, just to come and live in a grotty little bedsit in London. And all for a six-month trial for a job with far less responsibility, dealing a bunch of rude noisy Londoners. </p><p>He could have got a nicer place further from work, but he’d just been so desperate to get away from Cardiff before Edwin realised what he was up to that he ended up with a shitty hole that he hadn’t even seen before signing the contract. And then he’d packed his bags and legged it before Edwin got back from the cricket, leaving a note and no forwarding address. And to add insult to injury, he was still paying half the mortgage on the Cardiff flat. </p><p>And yep, of course. There went the springs of the world’s squeakyist bed again. He was starting to wonder if this pair were actually rabbits. And, of course, ‘Yeah Babe’ was a screamer, her usual litany of ‘Yes Davy!’ and ‘there Davy!’, ‘faster Davy’, and not to forget, ‘you’re so big Davy!’ shrieked over the music. At one point Merlin suspected she wasn’t even real and ‘Yes Davy’ just had a CD that made it sound like he had a girlfriend.</p><p>Merlin peaked out from under the pillow at his clock. Nearly half two in the morning. He had to be up in another two hours for work and this had been going on since just before midnight. </p><p>Last night he’d actually gone up and knocked on the door. All he’d got for his troubles was a mouthful of abuse from ‘Yeah Babe’, who it turned out did exist, while ‘Yes Davy’ turned the music up even louder. Last week he’d even tried to silence it with magic and ended up shorting out the speakers. Blessed quiet for a few hours, except for the clattering as ‘Yes Davy’ tried to fix them. The next day ‘Yes Davy’ went out and got a new sound system from somewhere, apparently with even bigger ‘woofers’, whatever that meant. And simply muffling the sound in his own room didn’t help much, because the vibrations carried on coming through the floor anyway. He kept trying. </p><p>If he had said to his neighbours back in Cardiff that he had to be in work for 5a.m. so could they keep the noise down, they probably would have apologised and then kept the noise down. He missed Welsh people.</p><p>He was also apparently the only person in the entire building who objected. He could appreciate that most people didn’t have to start work as early as he did, but seriously, did that noise bother no one? He knew one of the other guys on the top floor worked as a nightclub bouncer and was never there, and Mrs Simmons on the ground floor was stone deaf, but there were at least ten other flats in the building. </p><p>With a groan, he decided the noise was not going to stop, and the muffling charm was not doing its job, and there was clearly no point in staying here. He got up and had a shower. He was seriously going to have to find time to look for a better place to live, six-month deposit be damned. It would be nice to get some sleep at some point in his life.</p><p>So basically, that was why he was currently in work over an hour early, clutching a steaming cup of ultra strong coffee in the break room and wishing he was still in Cardiff. </p><p>“You going out today?” he jumped as someone spoke behind him. </p><p>“Whu?” he said, sounding about as intelligent as he felt.</p><p>“I said are you going out today?” The Irish guy he’d met in the canteen on his first day, nice, good looking, long hair, cameraman or some such thing. Merlin searched his sleep deprived brain for a name. “Filming.” The man looked at him expectantly. “You know, what we do here? You lot aren’t normally in so early unless you have to hit the road.”</p><p>“Oh!” Merlin blinked a few times and shook his head. “No, they don’t trust me in front of the camera. Probably think I’ll start speaking Welsh or something.” He took a sip of his coffee and sighed as the caffeine started to kick in. He was probably better off not being in front of the camera anyway – less chance of making a prat or himself, and no one needed to see his ugly mug over their cornflakes.</p><p>Camera guy stretched over Merlin for the coffee jug to fill a travel mug and Merlin’s sleep-addled brain supplied the knowledge that he smelt good. But yeah, he’d sworn off men, of course, that was the reason he’d left Cardiff.</p><p>“So how are you settling in?” Camera guy asked. D. Did his name begin with a D?</p><p>“Alright I guess.” Merlin shrugged. “Possibly too early to say.” </p><p>“Too early in the day or too early in the job?” Duane? That sounded about right.</p><p>“Both? Sorry, I have inconsiderate neighbours, I’m not really awake, but I figured I might as well be here rather than at home listening to other people shagging.”</p><p>Possibly-Duane, laughed. “Fair enough, mate, fair enough.”</p><p>“Gwaine? Are you ready?” A pretty woman who Merlin didn’t think he’d met yet stuck her head through the door. “Val’s getting antsy and threatening to go without you.”</p><p>Ah hah! Gwaine, G not D. He’d have remembered it eventually. And the woman was… someone he’d seen on the telly.</p><p>“Yeah, an interview with no sound, let’s see how well that works out for him. That ape is not getting his hands on my mics.”</p><p>Sound, right. Of course, and Val was that camera guy who was built like a gorilla. </p><p>“Tell that lazy Irish bastard to make a move on,” another voice yelled from the hallway. </p><p>Gwaine grinned and snapped the lid onto his coffee. “Speak to you later, Merlin.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
“Do you ever eat anything except rabbit food, Ianto?” Arthur looked at Merlin’s salad bowl with disdain as he dumped his own hotdog down beside it. The cafeteria was less crowded today and Merlin had been sitting chatting to Gwaine, Viv, Val, one of the camera crew, and Elena, one of the sports reporters. </p><p>He rolled his eyes as Arthur and Mithian sat down – not that he minded Mithian, one of the main anchors for <i>Wake Up</i>, but his original assessment of Arthur as a prat had not changed. “It’s Merlin. With an M. And, actually, lettuce is bad for rabbits,” Merlin replied, determined not to let Arthur bother him. “Sorry if my being healthy distracts you from your half a pig in a bun.”</p><p>“Are you calling me unhealthy? I go for a five-mile run every day!”</p><p>Merlin rolled his eyes. “Good for you.” </p><p>“He has a point, Arthur. All that processed meat is not good for you. You’ll turn to fat if you’re not careful.” Viv had barely looked up from <i>The Times</i> cryptic crossword as she spoke.</p><p>“I’ll run it off easily enough. Got to keep up the training regime. I’m running the London Marathon in April.” Arthur puffed up his chest with self-importance.</p><p>Merlin raised an eyebrow. “Good for you,” he said again. Honestly, what was it with people like that? Chronic blowers of their own trumpets. Like George. He inwardly sniggered at his own crap brass instrument joke that no doubt George would have complained about if he had heard it and then started telling his own.  </p><p>“So, Merlin, how are you finding the job?” Mithian cut in from Merlin’s other side, no doubt trying to break any tension she could sense coming their way.</p><p>“Yeah, it’s great.” Merlin smiled at her, not wanting to let on that the job was less responsibility than he was used to, he hated his flat, hated London, missed people speaking properly and he was bloody well home sick. “Just taking time to find my feet, you know. I was in my last job ten years, ever since Uni, so it’ll take a little getting used to.”</p><p>“What made you decide to leave your old job?” she asked, her tone suggesting that Merlin didn’t have her completely fooled. “Weren’t you one of their lead reporters? Entry level seems a bit of a step down, if you don’t mind me saying.”</p><p>
  <i>Why are you doing this to me, Merlin? I love you…</i>
</p><p>He pushed Edwin’s voice from his head. He should never have listened to his voice mail, too many messages, each one nastier than the last. Maybe he should change his number. He shrugged. “Researcher more than reporter, and I just needed a change.” He pushed his salad around with his fork and sighed. </p><p>
  <i>You need me, you’ll never survive on your own in London, you know that…</i>
</p><p>“Well, actually, I was getting away from a bad break-up if I’m honest. We both worked at <i>Bore Da</i>, it was getting a bit toxic and he wasn’t going to leave any time soon, so I decided I’d have to be the one to make a clean break.”</p><p>
  <i>You’ll be back</i>
</p><p>“He?” Val said with a sneer. </p><p>“Ooh, careful, Captain Caveman has awoken,” Vivian said, attention still fixed on her crossword as she tapped her pen against her fingers.</p><p>“Should have bloody known yo— hey!” Whatever he had been about to say was cut off as Elena knocked her cup of tea across the table and everyone hurriedly jumped up and moved out of the way.</p><p>“Oh goodness, I’m so sorry!” Elena grabbed a bunch of napkins and began wiping up the mess. Most of it had gone over Valiant’s burger and a little on his trousers.</p><p>“El! My crossword!” Vivian was glaring between Elena and her soaked newspaper.</p><p>“I honestly don’t know why I’m so clumsy!” Elena started dabbing the already wet napkins at Val’s trousers.</p><p>“Get off me you daft bint!” Val shoved her hands away and stomped off, presumably to get cleaned up.</p><p>“Oops,” Elena said serenely as she dropped the pile of wet napkins on Val’s plate. “Please don’t leave, we’ll miss you.” She shot Merlin a small grin and sat back down.</p><p>“I’ll get you another tea, El.” Arthur stood up. “Do try not to spill it.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Arthur Pendragon was in the office. Which, fair enough, he did work there, but he was sitting out at one of the desks, swinging from side to side on his chair, talking loudly and generally holding court with his groupies whilst being impossibly good looking and fit. </p><p>It was very distracting. </p><p>How on earth was Merlin supposed to concentrate on research into some revolutionary new App when that bastard was sitting over there talking and generally looking like that. </p><p>As he watched, Arthur threw back his head and laughed at something Gwaine was saying. Gwaine was also unfairly good looking, but Arthur… bloody hell, human beings should not be allowed to look like that.</p><p>“He can be a bit loud sometimes, can’t he?”</p><p>Mithian sat down at the desk opposite Merlin and pushed a cup of tea at him. Merlin was sitting at Gwen’s desk today. Gwen tended to only be in for the first half of the week and Mithian for the second, so it probably made sense that all the anchors were together. And of course, that included Arthur.</p><p>“Yeah, I guess he doesn’t have work to do like the rest of us mere mortals.” Merlin was aware he was scowling and tried to smooth his face, but probably failed. “I mean, God forbid anyone actually get any work done.”</p><p>“Problem, Merlin?” Arthur asked, and Merlin realised he had spoken a little louder than he’d meant to.</p><p>“No, by all means keep chatting loudly about fantasy football so the rest of us can’t hear ourselves think. Some of us actually have work to do.” Merlin shook his head in annoyance. Over-privileged wanker, getting to swan about and do bugger all just because his Father owned the company. </p><p>“Don’t keep your grievances to yourself, will you, Merlin?” Arthur needled. “Please, tell us what thrilling thing you would rather talk about instead.”</p><p>“Any conversation would be more interesting than this one,” Vivian said from the other side of the room. “And Merlin is right, some of us are trying to work.”</p><p>“I don’t want to talk, that’s the whole point!” Merlin said, exasperated. “I assume you actually want the questions you ask on tomorrow’s show to be relevant and not ‘what’s your ideal fantasy football team’.”</p><p>Arthur shrugged. “Sounds like a perfectly valid question to me. I think the nation deserves to know the team of these boffin types.”</p><p>“Come on, you can’t expect someone like Merlin to understand footie,” Val said. </p><p>Val and Gwaine didn’t even have a good reason to be lounging about in editorial, didn’t they have equipment to sort out or something?</p><p>“Well, I suppose it would sound that way to you, but some of our viewers actually have brains.” Merlin pointedly ignored Val, not wanting to get into the whole ‘someone like Merlin’ jibe right now when he really did have work to do.</p><p>“Right, it must be such a shock to the system after spending most of your career yammering on in Welsh about sheep shagging.” Arthur looked stupidly pleased with himself at that comment and Val started sniggering beside him. </p><p>“Blatant racism right there, by the way,” Vivian pointed out.  </p><p>“We generally leave the sheep shagging to the English, no one else will have them.” Merlin spoke in Welsh, fairly confident that not a single one of them would understand him.</p><p>“What?” Arthur’s face took on an odd flush.</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry, as you thought you knew anything about our programme you must speak Welsh.” Merlin smirked in triumph as a strange look crossed Arthur’s face and his cheeks flushed.</p><p>“I think he said something about sheep and the English,” Mordred put in, giving Arthur a simpering sort of smile. “My Mum’s Welsh, she taught me a little.”</p><p>“Is that so?” Arthur’s cheeks were still a little pink. “I think maybe Merlin needs to get back to work and stop showing off. Excuse me.”</p><p>“Getting on with my work is what I was trying to do!” Merlin said to Arthur’s back as he practically fled the room.</p><p>Huh, weird.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Arthur Pen-bloody-dragon had, with little regard for the blood pressure of his colleagues, removed his suit jacket and thrown it carelessly over the back of a chair. Now he’d gone from reasonably hot to centre of the sun hot in the short time it’d taken to roll up his shirt sleeves to the elbow. To make it worse, the lack of jacket revealed the delicious way Arthur’s expensive trousers pulled across his perfect round backside every time he turned to write on the whiteboard behind him or, even worse, bend over to pick up his pen. No one should be allowed to look like that. Especially not such a prat as Arthur.</p><p>“Now, next up for our series of pieces on local UK industries. Merlin, how is the research coming for the Cornish fishermen? Hello? Earth to Merlin.” </p><p>Merlin looked up from where he’d been determinedly looking at his notes rather than at Arthur’s arse. “Erm…” He scrabbled back through his head for the answer to the question. What even was the question? What did words even mean? Why did he always switch off and start daydreaming in production meetings?</p><p>“Any time today would be good,” Arthur drawled, levelling a smirk in Merlin’s direction, which in turn caused the Arthurian sycophants in the room to titter.</p><p>Merlin glowered at him. “I’ve set up some interviews on Thursday down at Newlyn. One of the local MPs is the new shadow environment minister.” </p><p>Agravaine, show producer and general git, nodded. “Sounds a little dry perhaps. Mordred, how would you like to take a team down to Cornwall on thursday? And see if you can introduce a little local colour.”</p><p>Mordred? Why Mordred? Merlin had done the work, he should be going! And what was wrong with the people Merlin had lined up? He’d worked hard on that!</p><p>Mordred brightened up and nodded. Of course he would, a nice September day down in Cornwall. </p><p>
  <i>…out of your league…</i>
</p><p>To hell with this. Merlin had done all the legwork and made all the contacts while Mordred followed Arthur about like a puppy. And Mordred was already headed over to the cider factory on Tuesday, which would have been Merlin’s ideal assignment. </p><p>
  <i>…no one wants to see some skinny twink like you on their telly…</i>
</p><p>Merlin had been here a month already and not been out on assignment even once, whilst Mordred had been doing several interviews, all fairly high profile. They clearly didn’t want him here, why had they even offered him a trial?</p><p>
  <i>Perfect face for radio…</i>
</p><p>It wasn’t as though Merlin, a vegetarian, even wanted to go and spend time around smelly fish. That wasn’t the point though, he’d been asked to do the research and now this should be his story. Plus, there were still druids in Cornwall, and ok so they were all probably just nut jobs who knew no more about magic than the man in the moon, but there was always that hope that they might be able to help him understand his power. That would make a much better story than fish.</p><p>When he’d first started working in television, he’d loved going out and reporting in the field – interacting with the public, proper investigative reporting. Over recent years he’d lost all faith in his ability to get it right, not to mention his insecurities over the way he looked. He’d started staying in the office more and more, sending younger reporters out instead. Now, with a new start and no Edwin to feed his self doubt, he was starting to remember how much he’d enjoyed it and was hoping for the opportunity to start again.</p><p>The meeting dragged on, interviews at a department store in London on Monday, Mordred’s trip to the cider farm in Somerset on Tuesday, fruit pickers somewhere in the Midlands on Wednesday and a sausage factory in Deira in Wiltshire on Friday. Really, could anyone blame Merlin’s mind for wandering? </p><p>At some point George tried to push for a story about brass bands, just as he had at every production meeting Merlin had been to. A silence had fallen across the room and Merlin looked up from where he’d been doodling on his notepad to find George looking around the room expectantly.</p><p>After a few awkward moments more, George rolled his eyes to the heavens and shook his head. “Typical trombone players!” he said, as though that was supposed to mean anything to anyone else.</p><p>George continued to monologue about some sort of upcoming battle of the brass bands, but was stopped by the door opening and Uther Pendragon walking into the meeting. Merlin had never been so glad to see the man, even though he could swear the temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. Uther barely acknowledged most of the room, his gaze landing on his son immediately. “Arthur, a word.” And with that he swept back out.</p><p>The meeting having essentially been brought to an abrupt end, Merlin started his search for a free desk so he could write up his notes about the fishermen for Mordred and carry on his research for a couple of other stories he had in the pipeline. </p><p>Most of the week he’d found an office at the end of the corridor that was free, but today the light was on and the door was closed with the distinct sounds of a very heated argument behind it, so he went to look for somewhere else. </p><p>Friday afternoons just after the production meeting was a bad time to try and find a desk as most people were in the office for the meeting and as it was Friday they all wanted to finish their work early so they could go home. Unable to find a single free space, even in the <i>Wake Up</i> breakroom, Merlin found himself downstairs in the cafeteria, cleaning crumbs and tea off one of the tables and hoping the battery on his laptop would last. </p><p>“Working hard I see, Ianto.” A cup of coffee and a plate with an apple turnover on it were dumped on his now clean table and before he could protest, Arthur Pendragon was sitting down in the chair opposite him. </p><p>“My name is Merlin.” He said the same thing every time and still Arthur couldn’t be bothered to get his name right. </p><p>
  <i>…don’t put tickets on yourself, sweetheart, you’re not that important…</i>
</p><p>“You’re in here so often I’m surprised the cafeteria staff haven’t given you your own table with your name on. Do you ever actually do any work?” </p><p>“Like you would know anything about that. The hardest work you do is eating that turnover and looking pretty whilst Daddy makes all your decisions for you.” Merlin barely even looked up as he spoke, he really did have quite a lot to get done and he’d quite like to go back to his horrible flat and get some sleep before the neighbours woke up at midnight.</p><p>Rather than a witty rejoinder as usual, Arthur was surprisingly quiet. When Merlin finally looked up from his laptop, Arthur was staring down into the depths of his coffee cup almost looking hurt.</p><p>“Is that really what you think of me?” Arthur said at last, looking up into Merlin’s eyes. “I went to uni, worked hard, graduated from Cambridge with a first. My Father had nothing to do with that, despite what people think. And yes, I work for the family company, but I started at the bottom, same as everyone else.”</p><p>“I… I was just messing around.” How on earth had a light-hearted comment made Arthur look so down?</p><p>Arthur sighed. “I know. Ignore me.” He went back to staring at his coffee like it held all the secrets of the world.</p><p>Merlin waited, sensing there was something more that Arthur wanted to get off his chest. </p><p>Arthur looked up at him again. “Why does everyone think it’s easy? Being his son? I don’t get a soft ride like you all seem to think. Everything I ever do is measured up against the great Uther Pendragon. I’m expected to be better than everyone else, whilst never being as good as him. And if I fail, he makes sure I know about it. And all the while he can’t even… I mean he’s supposed to love her unconditionally! How could he say…” Arthur trailed off and ran his hand though his hair making it stand up on end. </p><p>“Arthur…” Merlin started, unsure of what to say when he didn’t have a clue what Arthur was talking about.</p><p>Arthur shook his head and stood up. “I’m sorry, I should never have dumped that on you, I barely even know you. Just forget I said anything, yeah?”</p><p>Arthur hurried away, leaving his drink and pastry untouched. Merlin, being the considerate soul he was, ate the apple turnover.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Four o’clock on a Friday morning is not a good time to be told you are going to a sausage factory. Especially if you are a vegetarian and the very idea of a sausage factory made you wish you’d skipped breakfast.</p><p>Thanks to ‘Yes Davy’ and ‘Yeah Babe’, the world’s most considerate neighbours, he’d once again made the mistake of being in work too early, which meant he was the only person available when Agravaine came storming into the staff room and honed in on the newest recruit. </p><p>“Did I mention that I’m vegetarian?” </p><p>Agravaine, who seemed to hate him for no reason Merlin was aware of, ignored that. “Sefa has called in sick and you are the only one here. The interview is all arranged, the rest of your crew are good to go. I need you in Deira. Now.”</p><p>“I don’t have to actually eat any, do I?”</p><p>“Only if you don’t get a move on.” He motioned towards the door like he was trying to herd him out.</p><p>Merlin grimaced and downed his coffee, wincing as the too-hot liquid burnt his throat. </p><p>Waiting for him out in editorial, with matching scowls, were Valiant and Kara, camera and sound respectively. Kara seemed ok – he had yet to make up his mind on her really, she wasn’t the friendliest of people but he thought she might just take a little getting to know. Val, on the other hand, was a giant and massive wanker of the highest proportions. He’d been making snide little comments ever since Merlin had mentioned his ex was male, never anything big enough or loud enough to actually call him out on because clearly he was a coward as well as a bigot. Merlin really wasn’t looking forward to spending extended time in the arsehole’s company.</p><p>Merlin pasted a smile on his face as he walked towards them. He was not ashamed of who he was and he wasn’t about to let Val or anyone else make him feel otherwise. As a homophobic dickhead, Val was the one with the problem, not Merlin.</p><p>
  <i>You know you can be hard to like…</i>
</p><p>The smile slipped a little and he did his best to banish Edwin’s voice from his head. </p><p>George hurried up to him with a folder of notes. “Here, you’ll need these. Your contact is William Deren, the owner.”</p><p>Merlin took the notes and nodded. “William Deren, got it.” Should be easy enough to remember, his best mate back home was called William.</p><p>George patted him on the shoulder. “You look about as nervous as a sop player at the beginning of the quiet section of <i>La Forza del Destino</i>.”</p><p>Merlin blinked at him. “Er, thanks?” What was that even supposed to mean? He turned back towards Val and Kara.</p><p>“Please tell me we’re not taking frilly knickers?” Valiant’s ugly face turned to glare at Merlin.</p><p>“You know, for a straight bloke you really take far too much interest in my knickers.” Merlin tried to appear unaffected. Val was a nasty, narrowminded little man who clearly thought he was hil-fucking-larious. It was going to be a long morning. “Shall we get going?” Merlin headed towards the door.</p><p>“I thought we were taking the one with the tits?” Valiant barely flinched when Kara punched him in the arm, even though it was a good solid whack. Where there’s no sense there’s no feeling and all that.</p><p>Merlin sighed. “That delightful description covers a lot of people. You’ve got quite an impressive pair yourself.”</p><p>Valiant followed him down the stairs, still trying to bait him. “Like you would know, tits aren’t exactly your thing, are they? Bet the only tits you’ve ever been near are your mother’s.”</p><p>“That’s right, I’m gay and have no idea what breasts are. That’s me put in my place. Well done, you’re very clever.” Not rising to the bait was not easy.</p><p>“Can we all just stop talking about boobs, please?” Kara scowled at both of them, which Merlin thought was a bit unfair because he wasn’t. “Women are not just chests, you know, we do actually have other things going on.”</p><p>They got in the van and headed off. Kara was driving so Merlin sat in the back and read Sefa’s notes whilst trying not to get carsick. It was part of a series about small businesses. Merlin would have been much happier if Mordred had gone off sick yesterday – partly because he liked Sefa better than Mordred, so if someone had to go off sick he’d rather it was that way round, but also because Mordred had gone to a cider producer and got to sample a lot of cider, and even been given a free crate of the stuff. At least if Merlin had got a free crate of cider he’d have shared it. He hoped he wouldn’t get free sausages.</p><p>“So, sausages. This should be right up your alley, no pun intended.” Val seemed determined not to let Merlin do his research. “I guess sausages up your back alley is your sort of thing as well though.” Val started laughing like he thought his own pathetic joke was the funniest thing that had ever been said. The van lurched alarmingly as Val elbowed Kara, who was already driving much faster than the speed limit, in the side when she failed to laugh.</p><p>It was no good, trying to read in the back of the van was starting to make Merlin feel ill. He shut the folder with Sefa’s notes and closed his eyes. He really hadn’t got much sleep last night so he might as well catch up now. He did his best to switch off to Val’s comments about sleeping beauty, and drifted off.</p><p>Some time later, having reached the village of Deira, he was shaken awake by Kara. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and quickly checked in the rearview mirror to make sure his hair wasn’t standing up on end. </p><p>Hopping out of the van, he immediately held his breath in anticipation of the stench of raw meat products. A skinny man in an ill-fitting tweed suit was walking across the carpark to meet them with a big smile on his face, which Merlin did his best to replicate.</p><p>“Hi, are you William Deren? I’m Merlin. I know you’ve been dealing with Sefa but I’m afraid she’s not well so you’re stuck with me.”</p><p>“Yes, I’m the owner, please call me Will. Someone from your office already called ahead to tell me of the change in personnel. Odd chap, kept going on about string players.” He had a straggly little beard and big blue eyes, with an odd tendency to wrinkle his nose when he smiled.   </p><p>The smell outside of the factory had actually been pretty much non-existent. Inside was a different matter and Merlin’s stomach lurched unpleasantly as the foul aroma of death hit him. He determinedly pushed all of it to the back of his mind and did his best to appear fascinated by the tour. He could absolutely do this and not make a complete arse of himself. </p><p>The first live interview was at about twenty past seven. It involved a guided tour of the factory with far too many details about how to make sausages and different types of sausage and different types of meat. Merlin held his breath as much as possible to avoid the smell and tried to smile and nod in all the right places. </p><p>The second segment, at about ten past eight, involved talking to various staff members about how much they loved sausages and how brilliant they thought their company was.</p><p>The last part was where it really went wrong. It was ten to nine, and the show was approaching its final half hour, when they came back to Merlin for a final closing section before the news. And it all went to hell. Merlin had successfully managed to ignore the smells and the procession of animal innards, he’d put up with the attractive blue hairnet and all of Val’s jibes. And then, Will Deren had proudly brought out some samples and put them down in front of Merlin. He picked up a bit of sausage on a cocktail stick, said his piece to camera and waited for them to cut back to the studio so he could put it down. But they didn’t. The camera stayed with him, and so, with a rictus grin pasted on his face, he forced the bit of sausage into his mouth.</p><p>“Mmm, delicious,” he said, as the flavour hit his tongue and he took an ill advised chew and tried to force himself to swallow.</p><p>And, of course, the camera was still rolling as he ran from the room and retched into a bush outside.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“Who would have thought Merlin of all people would have such a problem with putting sausages in his mouth!” Val said yet again, because why make a bad joke once when you can keep repeating it in the hope that someone will laugh. “Is your gag reflex really that bad, Merlin? You must have a whole string of disappointed exes. Look, there he goes again! Useless fuck.” On the screen Merlin’s face once again went a funny colour before he turned and ran.</p><p><i>You never were any good in bed – can you blame a man for looking elsewhere?</i> </p><p>Fantastic, Edwin’s voice in his head again. So much for leaving the bastard behind, he seemed to plague Merlin’s every moment.</p><p>Val kept playing the video on a loop on his phone and showing anyone who passed by. All day, ever since they’d got back from Swindon. Over and over and over. The look of horror on Merlin’s face as the plate of sausages was brought out, the way he waited for the cut back to studio which never came. Him forcing himself to eat a bit of sausage. And yep, there he went, racing out of the room and throwing up loudly off camera.</p><p>Merlin seriously considered using his magic to give Val a dose of the runs, but he’d spent so long growing up with his Uncle Gaius ’s disapproving eyebrow, that now the idea of ever using his magic for anything made him expect to turn around and see the old man standing there with a look of disappointment on his face.</p><p>But every time he heard the tape replay, heard himself retching, his resolve not to hex Val weakened.</p><p>There was absolutely no way he was not going to get sacked for this, regardless of what he did to Valiant.</p><p>Mordred kept smirking at him. Of course the little bastard did.</p><p>George came over with what Merlin assumed was sympathy. “Reminds me of the time when I had a sticky first valve during the cadenza of <i>Cavalleria Rusticana</i>. I couldn’t sleep for a week afterwards.”</p><p>“Right, uh, thanks…” Merlin said, unsure of what to say. Honestly, he didn’t understand half the things that came out of George’s mouth, but he suspected he meant well so he did his best to nod along.</p><p>“Honestly, how many times are you going to play this? It’s not that funny.” Vivian, always happy to stick her nose in, rolled her eyes. Merlin felt bad for thinking mean things about her when at least she was sticking up for him, but she could grate on his nerves sometimes, and always seemed to think she knew more about the problems of being an openly gay man than he did.</p><p>“Come on, sweetheart, we’re just having a joke,” Val sneered.</p><p>“I am not your sweetheart.” Vivian’s face was the picture of disgust. “I would sooner die. And I think you might find that jokes are supposed to be funny.”</p><p>“Oh, go back to painting your nails, love. Don’t worry your pretty little head about understanding jokes.” Val clearly had no sense of self-preservation.</p><p>“I beg your pardon?” Vivian reminded Merlin of a viper about to strike its particularly stupid prey. “My <i>pretty little head</i> can understand far more than the likes of you. I’ll have you know that I have two bachelor degrees, an MA, and I’m working on my PhD, what have you got, a bronze swimming certificate?”</p><p>Val’s mouth hung open, his eyes bulging out as he struggled for a come back. “Yeah, and who did you blow in order to get that?” he said in the end before turning back to the phone and hitting play again. “Seriously, Merlin, did they not teach you how to take sausage at poof school?” Val mimed a crude blowjob action just in case no one got the subtlety of his comments. He froze mid action as his gaze landed on someone behind Merlin.</p><p>“Oh, please don’t stop on my account. I was fascinated by your display of sexism and homophobia.” Arthur walked into the room and picked up Val’s phone. His face remained completely impassive as he watched. “Because, as I’m sure you are aware, discrimination and bullying in any form would be grounds for dismissal from this company, and legal proceedings will be taken.” For all that he seemed to get by on his looks, name and boyish charm, Arthur wasn’t just one of the anchors, he was the boss’s son and as such held a lot of power.</p><p>Despite being slightly taller and quite a lot beefier than Arthur, Val actually took a step backwards and gave a nervous laugh. “It was just harmless teasing, right, Merlin?” He threw a heavy arm over Merlin’s shoulder. “Honestly, you know what everyone is like these days, over-analysing every little comment, unable to see when someone is joking.”</p><p>Merlin moved sideways and ducked out of Val’s sweaty reach. He wasn’t sure what to say. As much as he disliked Val he didn’t want to be responsible for getting him fired. Then again, Val clearly did have issues with Merlin and had been making increasingly nasty comments to him.</p><p>“Er…” Merlin said. </p><p>Vivian rolled her eyes again and flicked her hair over her shoulder. “Well if no one else is going to say something, I will. No, it wasn’t harmless teasing, not to Merlin or anyone else. You are constantly making sexist remarks, you made Elena cry last week with your comments about how a woman couldn’t do a good job as Senior Sports Correspondent.”</p><p>“How is it my fault she can’t take a joke?” </p><p>“And don’t even get me started on some of the comments you have made both to and about Gwen.” Vivian steam-rollered on. “You have bordered on not only sexist but racist, but just low key enough that she can never quite call you out on it, because you are too much of a coward to actually say anything outright. And if you can say these things to someone who actually lives with Uther’s son, I hate to think what you say to people who don’t.”</p><p>“She’s just over sensitive!”</p><p>“Then what about Drew down in Graphics? You know damn well what their pronouns are, it’s not difficult. And you’ve been vile to Merlin ever since you found out about his sexuality, but again, usually not quite enough for anyone to say anything back. You don’t dare say the same things about someone like Gwaine because you know damn well he’d beat you in a fight. You’re pathetic.”</p><p>Arthur had kept surprisingly quiet during Vivian’s little outburst. He turned his gaze on everyone, finally resting again on Merlin. “Well, this is a serious matter. I need to follow up on some of Vivian’s allegations before I talk to Uther. I’m keeping this for now,” he held up Val’s phone. “It’s company issue, so I am within my legal right to hold onto it. Everyone knows where to find me if they want to talk in private. Pendragon Media takes discrimination and bullying very seriously and I personally will not tolerate it. I’ll listen to anything anyone wants to say, rest assured it will remain confidential.”</p><p>Arthur headed through Editorial and down the corridor towards Uther’s office.</p><p>Val raised his hand again and clipped Merlin around the ear. “Are you trying to get me in trouble, you snivelling little fairy?”</p><p>“Oi! That’s enough.” Gwaine walked into the office just in time to catch that last bit. “Merlin, are you ok?” Gwaine turned and glared at Val. “What the fuck? Don’t go around hitting people, you piece of shit.”</p><p>“What did you just say to me?” Val was scared of Gwaine, although not as much as he was of Arthur, but after Vivian’s comment about him being a coward he couldn’t afford to back down now. “Do you want to come over here and say that, you little pikey runt? What’s wrong, did I insult your boyfriend? Just so you know, if you want Merlin to suck your dick he’ll probably throw up.”</p><p>“I have no idea what I just walked into here, but I imagine anyone who was unlucky enough to get near your cock would feel ill.” Gwaine flicked his hair back and lifted his chin in challenge. </p><p>“I have been nowhere near his cock!” Merlin just wanted to make that absolutely clear.</p><p>Val’s face actually managed to go more red, he looked like he might combust. “Like I would let you near me!”</p><p>“Anyone would be lucky to call Merlin their boyfriend, so why don’t you just back off. I’m starting to think all this homophobia is you hiding what might be true about yourself.” Gwaine’s smirk was a challenge in itself.</p><p>It was almost inevitable that Valiant would take a swing at Gwaine. And from the way Gwaine easily moved out of the way, Merlin was sure he had deliberately goaded him into throwing the first punch. Val tried again, but somehow tripped over a speck of dust and missed, punching the wall instead. It had absolutely nothing to do with Merlin, of course.</p><p>The fight was short and vicious. Gwaine easily got the better of Valiant, no further intervention from Merlin was needed. It came to an abrupt end with the arrival of Uther Pendragon himself, and the very fast removal of Gwaine and Valiant to Uther’s office.</p><p>“Shit.” Merlin rubbed his face as he sank down onto the nearest chair and fought the urge to cry. He liked Gwaine, he was fun and interesting and now he was going to get fired for standing up for Merlin. And Merlin was probably going to get fired too, and then he’d have to go back to Cardiff, which he’d be fine with except that Edwin was there and he couldn’t go back to that man.</p><p>George patted him awkwardly on the back. “Bloody techies, no better than percussionists. Always hitting stuff.”</p><p>“Hey, come on.” Mithian put a gentle arm around Merlin. “It’s ok, everyone saw what happened. Val threw the first punch, and before that he was being a twat. Gwaine was defending himself. He might get suspended for a few days at most, but he’ll be fine. Arthur will back him up.”</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “This is all my fault. Val’s had it in for me since day one, I should have just kept out of his way rather than letting him needle me.”</p><p>“No!” Mithian’s hand tightened on his arm. “No victim blaming. Val’s at fault, not you, not Gwaine. You have done nothing wrong. Viv might think she knows everything and she might always believe she is right and everyone else is wrong, but this time she has a point. Valiant thinks being white, male, straight and English makes him a cut above, he’s a dinosaur.”</p><p>“Well after my disastrous morning I’ll probably be sacked anyway, so Gwaine really should have saved himself the bother.”</p><p>Mithian snorted then quickly put her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. It wasn’t funny at all, are you ok? Were you not feeling well? Perhaps you are coming down with whatever kept Sefa away.”</p><p>Merlin let out a small laugh himself. “No, it was just the natural reaction to trying to force myself to eat meat. I’ve never been able to stand the taste or smell. I did try to tell Agravaine when he sent me out this morning.”</p><p>“Oh dear, what a disaster for your first piece. I’m sure it won’t be that bad, you were doing pretty well until that point.”</p><p>“Those poor people at the factory though, it looks like there was something wrong with their product!”</p><p>“Well, you could always—” </p><p>“Merlin? Can you come through?”</p><p>Whatever Mithian had been about to suggest was interrupted by Arthur calling Merlin into Uther’s office. Arthur pulled him to one side before going in. </p><p>“Look, you aren’t in any trouble, alright? I heard what Valiant was saying and I know Gwaine well enough to believe his version of events. Just be honest and my Father won’t have an issue with you.”</p><p>Merlin nodded as Arthur ushered him inside. Gwaine and Val were sitting as far apart as possible whilst still being on the same side of Uther’s desk. Gwaine was lounging in typical Gwaine style, looking more like he was at home on his sofa watching a movie than having been hauled in front of his boss for fighting at work. Val, on the other hand, was sitting ramrod straight and staring ahead. His face was a funny sort of puce colour and a vein was pulsing in the side of his neck. Uther himself was reading something on the computer screen in front of him and seemed to be trying to pretend that no one else existed.</p><p>As Merlin took the seat in the middle, Uther finally looked up from the screen and peered at him over the top of his glasses. </p><p>“So, you’re the one who caused this ruckus in the first place, are you? I don’t care if it’s a simple disagreement or a lovers’ quarrel, I really can’t be having fighting brought into the workplace.”</p><p>Merlin hardly thought that was fair, he hadn’t exactly asked for any of this to happen. He opened his mouth to defend himself but Val spoke first.</p><p>“Lovers’ quarrel? Do you think I’m some sort of bloody pervert like him?” He jerked his thumb in Merlin’s direction, a sneer of disgust plain on his face.</p><p>“I believe Valiant has taken exception to Merlin on grounds of sexuality, which directly contravenes the company codex.” Arthur sounded weary, like he’d already said all this.</p><p>“Yes, thank you, Arthur, I have already heard your opinion, I would like to hear Mr Emrys’s version of events.” </p><p>Merlin glanced at Val, who looked like he might be about to explode. “I, er…” What could he say with Val sitting right there? He thought Uther was supposed to speak to everyone individually, not with the perpetrator sitting right there listening. </p><p>He glanced over at Gwaine, taking in the set of his jaw and the way his hand was still curled into a fist, belying the casual act. Gwaine was a good person, as far as Merlin could tell, and he’d stepped in to help Merlin. Merlin owed it to him to at least tell Uther that.</p><p>He cleared his throat. “Valiant took a dislike to me in my second week here when he found out I’m gay.”</p><p>“That is such bullshit, like I give a crap about anything you do!” Val turned his glare on Merlin. </p><p>Merlin lifted his head and looked at Uther. “He started by making little comments here and there. Nothing big, nothing he could be called out on – just stuff that could be passed off as a joke. I decided to just try and stay out of his way. This morning I got put on a story working with Val. Val started making innuendos before we even left the office. I tried to ignore him and be professional, but the shoot went pretty badly.”</p><p>Uther glanced back at his screen. “Ah yes, I’ve received a complaint from the factory owner, a Mr William Deren of Deira. Apparently you made his product appear inedible.”</p><p>Merlin felt his face colour. “Um, yes.”</p><p>“And was that the fault of Mr Sutton here?” Uther indicated Valiant.</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “No, it was my fault. I did try to explain that I’m a vegetarian, but I probably should have explained that to Mr Deren before the shoot, before he brought samples out. I thought they would cut back to the studio before I had to actually eat it. I’ll call and explain. I’m happy to make an official apology or whatever is needed.”</p><p>Uther nodded. “Very well. So how did we go from a terrible interview to these two brawling in the office?”</p><p>“When we got back Val kept playing the clip of me being ill and making all these comments. Arthur overheard him and told him it was unacceptable. When Arthur left, Val hit me around the ear and used some pretty horrible language.”</p><p>Uther looked up sharply. “Mr Sutton struck you? For no reason?”</p><p>Merlin nodded.</p><p>“It was just a playful swat, I barely touched him!” Val was practically out of his seat now.</p><p>“Mr Sutton, you will learn to control yourself.” Uther never raised his voice, but it served to quieten Val better than a yell would have. </p><p>Merlin continued. “Gwaine walked in just as Val hit me and came to my defence. Val then insulted Gwaine too and when Gwaine responded, Val hit him.”</p><p>“So Mr Sutton threw the first punch? Mr O’Coneill was simply retaliating?”</p><p>“He provoked me!”</p><p>Uther’s cool gaze swept over Val before turning back to Merlin. “You may go.”</p><p>Merlin exited Uther’s office, feeling guilty for leaving Gwaine still in there, and sank down against the wall out in the corridor. He was shocked to realise how badly his hands were shaking.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“Merlin?”</p><p>He jumped when he felt a hand land on his shoulder.</p><p>“Are you alright?” Arthur crouched down in front of him, a worried frown creasing his forehead.</p><p>“I’m fine!” Merlin forced a grin onto his face but he could tell from Arthur’s arched eyebrow that he wasn’t fooled. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair. “It’s just been a pretty long day, and it’s only half two.” </p><p>“‘Only half two’ is far too long when your day starts at half five.” Despite it putting his probably very expensive suit at risk, Arthur sat on the floor next to him. </p><p>Merlin gave an awkward laugh, not liking to admit he’d been in the office since long before four. “I’d, er, better be getting on. Work, you know, before I get the sack. Which is probably about to happen anyway. Is that why you’re here? To sack me? I’m only on a temporary contract after all.” He made no move to stand up, quite liking the solid feel of Arthur’s presence beside him. If it was going to be his last day at Pendragon Media, he might as well admit the fact, if only to himself, that Arthur was a very good looking man. And he smelt nice.</p><p>“I’m on your side, you know.” Arthur leant sideways slightly till their shoulders knocked together.</p><p>Merlin grinned – a proper smile this time. Maybe Arthur wasn’t that bad. Sometimes. </p><p>“I… uh…” Arthur rubbed the back of his neck looking extremely awkward.</p><p>Merlin waited, not wanting to interrupt whatever delicate thought process was occurring.</p><p>“Look… I’ve been thinking about this for a while… and I know we got off on the wrong foot and you don’t particularly like me… but I don’t suppose you want to come out for a drink? After work? Clear the air, so to speak?” Arthur suddenly finished off his sentence all in a rush, almost like he didn’t actually want to be saying it.</p><p>Merlin stared at him for a moment. Was god’s gift to breakfast television actually asking him out? Like, on a date out? </p><p>“Um. Yeah, that would be nice.” He tried to appear casual, like walking wet dreams asked him for a drink all the time whilst inside he was jumping up and down and screaming like a little girl who just got to meet One Direction. Was it even still One Direction any more? Probably some other band by now, he was getting old. He really needed to stop his internal babble and focus on what Arthur was saying.</p><p>“…sing Sun, maybe about half five?” Arthur looked at him expectantly.</p><p>Merlin nodded. “Yeah, sounds great, I’ll see you there.” He hoped the expression on his face said he’d been listening. Rising Sun, half six tonight? Tomorrow? Half six or half five? Fuck, why didn’t he ever listen?</p><p>
  <i>Why do you never listen to me? Must I always remind you to do every little thing? Can you get anything right?</i>
</p><p>Arthur’s smile was sudden and brilliant, like the sun peeking out from behind a rain cloud. “Ok, I’d better get back to my Father. I’ll see you tonight.” He stood and brushed his suit down before grinning again and heading back towards Uther’s office.</p><p>Merlin did love to watch Arthur walking away, that pert, perfect, round rear…. </p><p>He shook himself. What was he doing, Arthur was the son of his boss and married to Gwen… </p><p>Oh hell, Gwen… </p><p>Why would Arthur ask Merlin out? Did Gwen know? Were they one of these couples that liked to pull in a third person every now and then for a threesome… he hoped not, not that there was anything wrong with that, far be it from him to judge…</p><p>He liked Gwen, he really did, she was lovely. But  he’d never… you know… with anyone of the female… uh… persuasion… and… and… he just didn’t think of her that way!</p><p>Or what if Arthur was cheating on Gwen? Gwen was the first person who was nice to him here, she was sunshine and rainbows and didn’t deserve a cheating spouse… he couldn’t do this, maybe he should just find a rock to crawl underneath.</p><p>“Earth to Merlin!”</p><p>He was pulled out of his internal panic by a hand waving in front of his face. He looked up to find he was still sitting on the floor and this time it was Gwaine crouched in front of him looking concerned.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Are you alright?”</p><p>“Oh, I, um…”</p><p>“I can see why they made you a reporter, you have such a way with words.” Gwaine rolled his eyes. </p><p>Merlin blinked again and pulled his thoughts back into order. “Gwaine! Are you ok? Please tell me they didn’t sack you.” He finally clambered to his feet, his bum now numb after sitting on the hard floor for so long.</p><p>Gwaine laughed. “I’m fine, Merlin. Some great lump like Val is not going to get the better of me. And no, I’m not fired. Officially, I’m suspended for a week, because apparently I should have just stood there and let him punch me, but hey, I could do with a wee rest.”</p><p>“Shit, Gwaine, I am so sorry.”</p><p>“Stop it. This is not on you, Merls. Valiant is a twat, he was a twat long before you came to work here and he’ll be a twat long after they sack him. If anything, it’s good that he finally showed his colours in a way that means Arthur can do something about it. And I really need to learn to stop reacting before my brain kicks in.”</p><p>“I never should have got you into that situation though, I should have just walked away.”</p><p>Gwaine frowned before giving Merlin a light swat on the shoulder. “Hey, I told you already, not your fault. With a bit of luck this is the last we’ll see of him.” </p><p>“They’re getting rid of him?” Merlin really shouldn’t feel guilty….</p><p>“He deserves it.” </p><p>Merlin stared at him wide eyed. Val had been making this new job miserable for him, but did he really want to be responsible for a man losing his job? Then again…</p><p>“Hey, so a little bird, possibly called Gwen, told me it’s Arthur’s birthday.” A grin appeared on Gwaine’s face. “And where there’s a birthday there’s alcohol! I think we definitely deserve drinks after the day we’ve had, don’t you?” Gwaine grinned at him. “Don’t suppose you’ve heard anything? Is the Princess having drinks? If not, how can we persuade him.”</p><p>Merlin could feel the flush rising up his face. Arthur’s birthday. Of course Arthur hadn’t been asking him out on a date, it was birthday drinks over at the pub for everyone, how could he have been such an idiot? </p><p>
  <i>As if someone like that would be interested in you…it would be laughable if it weren’t so tragic…</i>
</p><p>Great, Edwin’s voice was joining in the conversation now, at least before it had only been memories of things he’d actually said.</p><p>“Merls?”</p><p>
  <i>I’m the only one, Merlin, no one else will ever want you…</i>
</p><p>“I… er… um, it’s Arthur’s birthday?”</p><p>Gwaine nodded. “Yeah, I take it that means you’ve not heard? I bet he’s going to be a boring git and not go out.”</p><p>“Um. I think I heard something about drinks over at the Rising Sun. At six thirty. Possibly. Or maybe five thirty? Didn’t know it was for his birthday though.” </p><p>Gwaine punched the air. “Yes! Good show Artie. I’ll try not to take it personally that the princess never asked me himself, knowing Arthur he just thinks that everyone will automatically gravitate around him to worship him on his birthday without being asked. I’ll spread the word.” Gwaine reached out and put a hand on Merlin’s shoulder. “Maybe you should go and get yourself a cuppa tea or something, you seem totally spaced out, mate.”</p><p>Merlin did his best to smile as Gwaine whirled around and disappeared into Editorial. </p><p>
  <i>Pathetic. You are so pathetic.</i>
</p><p>He closed his eyes and tried to not to hear Edwin’s taunting voice in his head.</p><p>
  <i>Face it, Merlin. You belong to me… you’ll always belong to me.</i><br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Merlin seriously considered not going to the pub, after all it wasn’t like anyone would miss him and he was tired and still had to be up early to come in tomorrow. And yes, alright, he was embarrassed that he had thought Arthur was asking him personally when it turned out the entire office would be there. It didn’t matter that no one but him knew where his thoughts had gone, the humiliation still existed.</p><p>By the time he’d finished giving his version of the day’s events for the millionth time, and then done all the things he’d been <i>supposed</i> to do in the morning, then called the owner of the sausage factory to apologise and made a public statement on the <i>Wake Up</i> website, it was gone six. And he still needed to make his first update on his brand new @wakeupmerlin Twitter account, in which he again had to apologise profusely and tell the world there was absolutely nothing wrong with the sausages.</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>I would like to offer my sincere apologies to the Will Deren Sausage Co. in Deira, Wiltshire. There was nothing wrong with their product in any way. I had an upset stomach, but other than that they were the best sausages I’ve ever tried!</p><p>
      <span>#wilderen_sausages</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2 <span class="twTime"> 6:06 PM • Sept 28, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>45 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
He really should just go home, stuff his face, because he’d eaten next to nothing since the sausage incident, then curl up in bed and pretend the day never happened. </p><p>Actually, he’d like to really go home. <i>Home</i> home. Not to his horrible flat in London. Not even to the much nicer flat in Cardiff that he was still paying half the mortgage on until it could be sold. No, he wanted to go home to his Mam’s in North Wales, where she could make a fuss of him and tell him to pull himself together, and Will could take the piss out of him. </p><p>He could just go back to his flat and call his Mam. Or Will. Or even Gaius. But then they’d know how sodding miserable he was in London, and they’d think him a failure, and it was bad enough he let Edwin call him that in his head all the time without people he cared about thinking it too.</p><p>Maybe a quick drink… just to show willing. Surely he deserved a pint or two? And the pub did chips with curry sauce. His stomach rumbled at the idea of actual food. </p><p>The Rising Sun, allegedly named for the <i>Wake Up Camelot!</i> studio across the road but never confirmed in case Uther sued, was the pub of choice for most Pendragon Media staff. Arthur was, unsurprisingly, quite popular so for his birthday it was packed out. Again Merlin felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment that he had thought Arthur, straight and not single Arthur, who was waaaay out of Merlin’s league, was inviting just him.</p><p>He headed for the bar rather than trying to spot anyone he knew. Number one priority was ordering his chips. Number two was getting the birthday boy a pint, if he could ever locate him. Of course, unlike Merlin, Arthur probably had tomorrow off and could drink himself stupid, the anchors had far more flexibility with their schedules than the mere mortals. Being the boss’s son probably helped too. </p><p>“Merlin! You made it!” Gwaine’s arm landed around his shoulder just as he took a sip of his pint and as a result he suddenly had a rather wet shirt.</p><p>“Thanks for that, Gwaine.” He put his drink down and attempted to wipe the beer from his front.</p><p>“That is a criminal waste of beer, you need someone to lick it off?” </p><p>Merlin blinked at Gwaine, trying and failing to find some way to make that sentence not sound the way it had definitely sounded.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Gwaine started laughing. “Jeez, Merlin, you need to lighten up a bit, I’m not going to molest you in the middle of the pub. I’ll just have to try and deal with the fact that the thought appalled you quite so much.”</p><p>“No, I didn’t mean that! I mean, you’re fit… that is to say… you know… I mean…” he trailed off. The hot feeling of his face suggested it was probably the colour of a tomato. </p><p>
  <i>Out of your league…</i>
</p><p>A massive shit-eating grin broke out on Gwaine’s face. “Oh, fit am I? I’ll bear that in mind.”</p><p>“Well, that is to say, I…. I’m just not really looking for anything at the moment…” Merlin started babbling again. And the thing was, Gwaine really was fit – unbelievable sex-god levels of fit – and easily one of the best looking human beings Merlin had ever met (well, maybe a apart from Arthur…), but after Edwin… Merlin just wasn’t interested in a new relationship right now. And no, not even if Arthur had actually been asking him out personally. He really wasn’t ready, Edwin had messed with his head too much for that.</p><p>“You are very easy to wind up, has anyone ever told you that?” Gwaine patted him on the shoulder. “Look, I like you, and you’re very easy on the eye, but I’m not trying to chat you up, I promise. I’ve learnt from bitter experience that sleeping with mates, and colleagues, is a good way to lose them. I’m not exactly a steady relationship sort of guy, and as I said, I like you, so I think we should be friends.” He stuck his hand out and grinned. </p><p>Merlin grinned in relief and shook his hand. “Friends sounds great. I just got out of a pretty toxic relationship, so, yeah. However,” he eyed Gwaine’s other hand which was inching towards the bowl of hot delicious chips that had just arrived, “If you steal my chips right now I will end you.”</p><p>“Well, this all looks very cosy.” Arthur was stood just behind them looking sort of pissed off for a birthday boy. </p><p>“Arthur! Happy birthday, I got you a pint!” Merlin grinned at him and turned around to grab the spare pint of bitter he’d bought.</p><p>“Erm…” Gwaine looked down at the half-empty beer in his hand. “Sorry?”</p><p>“I’ll get another one!” Merlin signalled to the barman.</p><p>“Don’t bother, I can get my own.” </p><p>“Whoa, mate, who pissed on your cornflakes?” Gwaine said, taking a very deliberate drink. “Cheer up, it’s your birthday!”</p><p>Arthur muttered something under his breath and stalked away in the direction of the loos. Gwaine shrugged and pinched one of Merlin’s chips.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
There was an office at the end of the hall that hardly ever got used which Merlin had almost started to think of as his. The desk was nice and big, the chair had the perfect lumbar support, the computer was the latest model, and above all, it was quiet and he could concentrate without all the clatter and chatter of Editorial (or even worse, Accounts. Who knew accountants could be so noisy?).</p><p>He was therefore not happy to find the light on and the door shut on Monday morning.  Grumbling to himself, he went into the staff room and made a cup of coffee before scanning around for an empty desk. Mithian’s desk would be free, she didn’t usually work Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Or possibly Arthur’s, but that would probably be a bigger sacking offence than using Morgana’s, and he wasn’t entirely sure which desk was Arthur’s anyway, he never seemed to stay still long enough to pin him down to a particular desk. </p><p>“Hi Merlin!” Gwen’s happy smile greeted him a few hours later as she sat down opposite him. She’d just come off air, still in her smart clothes and make-up from that morning’s show, and was far too chirpy for so early in the morning. “Arthur told me about what happened on Thursday, are you alright?”</p><p>“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. Viv said he’s been awful to you too.”</p><p>She bit her lip. “Valiant has always been awful to everyone, we’ve all put up with him for far too long. He’s never said anything as overt to me as he has to you, he’s too afraid of Arthur. He must have thought he could get away with it. And I heard he hit you?”</p><p>“Not really, not properly. It was Gwaine he had a fight with, and Gwaine gave as good as he got.”</p><p>She nodded. “Yes, sounds like our Gwaine.” </p><p>Merlin scrabbled through his brain for a change of topic, it was too early to talk about Val. “I didn’t see you at the pub on Thursday?”</p><p>“Well, no, I wasn’t expecting Arthur to do anything, he doesn’t usually celebrate his birthday, so by the time I heard you were all meeting at the pub, it was too late to arrange a babysitter.”</p><p>“Oh. I hadn’t realised it was such a last minute thing. I figured I was just last to hear because I’m the new guy… well, Gwaine didn’t know either, I think he was a bit hacked off not to be told.”</p><p>“It was Gwaine who called me. That man will always be able to sniff out alcohol, he—”</p><p>“Emrys, you fucking wanker!” Valiant, barging through Editorial like a giant angry bull, cut off whatever Gwen had been about to say.</p><p>Merlin found himself scooting his chair backwards to get out of the way. Later he would curse himself for not standing his ground but survival was his main goal for now and staying put to be hit again did not seem like a good plan. </p><p>“I’ve been fucking sacked because of you! I’m going to make you wish you’d never been fucking born!”</p><p>With nowhere left for his chair to roll to, Merlin stood up ready to fight back if he had to, and ready to hex Val into the middle of next week if he could get away with it. He knew he didn’t stand much of a chance fighting Val physically, he’d never been much of a fighter at the best of times, and although they were pretty well matched in height, Valiant was much beefier. Val would use his natural advantage of size, so why shouldn’t Merlin use the advantage he had too?</p><p>Valiant’s fist swung towards Merlin’s head but he managed to duck out of the way. The crunching sound of Val’s fist hitting the wall drew out a pained grunt from the thug that Merlin was pretty sure did not bode well for him. Val grabbed hold of Merlin’s tie and raised his grazed fist again – clearly the concept of pain would not stop him. Merlin kicked out, trying to free himself but Val didn’t even seem to feel it. </p><p>Merlin closed his eyes, waiting for the punch to come whilst trying to think of a spell to get him out of this without all the onlookers seeing. </p><p>The fist never landed. Instead he felt the pressure around his neck from Val’s grip on his tie loosen. He opened his eyes to see the biggest man he’d ever seen in his life with his arms locked around Val’s torso so he couldn’t move as Arthur ran across the office towards him and Uther watched from the other side of the room with a raised eyebrow. </p><p>“Get the hell off me!” Val yelled, struggling in the other man’s grip.</p><p>Moments later two men in security uniforms rushed through the door and tried to grab ahold of the giant restraining Val.</p><p>“Not him, you imbeciles!” Arthur shouted at them. “The other one. If you two had been here when you were supposed to be this would never have happened. Now, please escort Valiant from the premises, and make sure he doesn’t come back.”</p><p>When Valiant had been led out, Arthur turned to Merlin, a look of concern on his face. “Are you alright?” </p><p>Merlin nodded, currently not really feeling up to speaking, or even peeling his back off the wall.</p><p>Clearly giving up on getting a proper reply from Merlin, Arthur looked at the man who had come to Merlin’s rescue. “I believe we owe you a debt of gratitude. Thank you.” He held out his hand. </p><p>The man looked at Arthur’s hand a moment and then up at his face before nodding like Arthur had just passed some sort of test and grasping his hand. “I’m Percival Roberts, Percy. The agency sent me, I was told you needed a replacement cameraman asap.”</p><p>Arthur grinned at him. “Come with me then, I’ll take you down to HR and get your paperwork sorted out.”</p><p>“Wait!” Merlin said as Arthur started to lead Percival out. “Thank you. I think you just saved me from a broken nose, or worse. I’m Merlin.” </p><p>Percy grinned at him. “I know. You’re the bloke who threw up in the sausage factory.”</p><p>The sound of Arthur’s irritating laughter could be heard all the way to HR.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
After Friday’s disaster at the sausage factory, every mother and grandmother in the country seemed to have called in to see if ‘that poor boy’ was alright. The entire company (lead by Gwaine) thought it was hilarious and kept going on about ‘Merlin’s Fangirls’. </p><p>So, on Tuesday Merlin was hiding out in that nice quiet office where he could get on with his work without people sniggering behind his back or being otherwise distracting. </p><p>With a sigh, Merlin pushed his empty coffee cup over to the end of the desk to sit next to the one he’d left there on Saturday. He found the contact info for a story Leon was running and pulled the keyboard towards him.</p><p>For the most part, Merlin had been employed as a researcher, with the possibility of the odd assignment here and there. He did the groundwork on interviews for the week ahead, and then another journalist would present the actual story on the show – and, for the most part, he was fine with that. </p><p>Due to his so called ‘success’ with the audience, Agravaine had, somewhat begrudgingly, agreed to send him out on another shoot next Thursday. Merlin was wasn’t sure how he felt about it, it was hard to shake of years of being told he was too ugly and too clumsy to be on telly, not to mention he had a feeling he was being typecast as the light relief, the comedy interview to cheer everyone up after the real news. </p><p>Case in point, Thursday was Halloween, and Merlin was being sent out to the highstreet, potentially dressed as Dracula, to talk about changing Halloween traditions. He wasn’t expecting all the juicy stories straight away or anything, but did he really have to go off and dress as a comedy Dracula? Was this what he’d been working towards for years? Mordred got proper stories, and he had far less experience. </p><p>Merlin sighed again and shook his head. No use dwelling, at least he had this opportunity and he could hardly complain about that.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
“Merlin!” </p><p>Ugh, Agravaine. Agravaine with that smarmy smile that always made Merlin want to hex the man with boils. As the favourite brother of Uther’s late wife, Agravaine seemed to be able to get away with pretty much anything. Arthur in particular hung off his every word, even if Uther himself only seemed to just about tolerate him.</p><p>Merlin pasted a smile on his face, he was pretty sure it did not look any more sincere than Agravaine’s own, and waited.</p><p>Smarmy? Maybe oily, might be a better way to describe it. Almost like he could feel a residue on his skin after talking to the man for too long – and thirty seconds could be way more than too long. </p><p>“One would rather assume your little queasy spell might have turned viewers off, don’t you think?” Agravaine paused, no doubt expecting Merlin to respond in some way. </p><p>Merlin didn’t. He was used to Edwin’s put downs, Agravaine would have to try a lot harder than that.</p><p>Agravaine shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “Nevertheless, we've had rather a lot of enquiries about your well being.”</p><p>“That’s, er… nice?” Merlin didn’t know where this was leading, but he had a feeling it was nowhere good. </p><p>The smile seemed to intensify. “Yes. We thought we would send you out to Nemeth Nursing Home in Hampshire to let all the old ladies make a fuss of you.”</p><p>“I… what?” Surely there had to be more to the story than that! Merlin was a journalist, he’d been to Uni and everything. He had a horrible feeling his career was about to take a sharp nosedive into a field of kitsch and crochet. </p><p>Finna, one of the other producers, joined them and rolled her eyes at Agravaine. “Merlin, don’t worry. The story is about Britain’s oldest man turning 112 tomorrow. Sefa is still off sick so we need someone to go and interview him.”</p><p>“Yes.” Agraviane nodded. “And we chose Merlin for the reasons I just said.”</p><p>“Well it might have been nice to let me know what the actual story was so I didn’t show up looking like an idiot.”</p><p>Agravaine gave a dismissive sniff. “I’m sure you’ll be given a script.”</p><p>“I’m a journalist, I report stories, I don’t need a bloody script!” Merlin was stopped from saying more by Finna’s calming hand on his arm. </p><p>“Agravaine, I think Arthur was looking for you,” Finna said. “He’s down in the <i>Country Kitchen</i> studio.”</p><p>A small frown line appeared between Agravaine’s eyes. “Why on earth would the boy need me down there?” He shook his head and walked off.</p><p>“Sorry about that, Merlin.” Finna gave him a rueful smile. “I had hoped to talk to you myself but Agravaine does love to lord it over people.”</p><p>“It’s fine.” Merlin gave her a smile because he liked Finna and he was pretty sure none of this was her fault. “So, tell me more about the story.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Many Happy Returns to Burt Talesin, Britain’s oldest man! 112 today! <span class="x1F389"><span class="hide">(Party Popper )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#happybirthdayburt #britainsoldestman</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 115<span class="twTime"> 8:37 AM • Oct 12, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>206 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
Mercia Retirement Village turned out to be a pretty little complex with a gorgeous garden complete with croquet lawn. The time of year meant all the trees were shades of red and gold. Merlin couldn’t help thinking that if you had to retire somewhere outside of Wales, which he would never do, of course, you could do worse than here.</p><p>Merlin had followed up on the information Finna gave him and arranged everything with the manager, Mrs Miller. Which is why he was rather confused when she didn’t seem to be expecting them.</p><p>“We spoke on the phone,” Merlin said, starting to feel worried. He’d even spoken to Burt, whose birthday it was. If they weren’t allowed in there would be nothing to fill this slot on the programme, and Agravaine would definitely blame him.</p><p>“You’re Merlin?” she asked, frowning.</p><p>He nodded, feeling relieved. </p><p>“But… well, there’s already a film crew here.” She was looking worried now.</p><p>Merlin glanced over at the white van in the car park. It had no logo on it, unlike theirs which was proudly displaying Penny, the <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> dragon. He turned back to Mrs Miller.</p><p>“I’m sorry, but they’re not ours. I don’t know who they are.” He dug out his Press Pass, Pendragon Media I.D. and his driving licence to prove to Mrs Miller that he was definitely who he claimed to be. </p><p>“Excuse me.” She hurried away, no doubt to find out who the hell she’d let loose with her residents.</p><p>“Come on.” Gwaine, who had only come back to work that morning, hastened to follow her, Merlin and Percy trailing behind.</p><p>He didn’t recognise the team of people setting up a camera to film Burt, Britain’s oldest man, but Gwaine clearly did as he started muttering about someone called Cedric and <i>Good Morning Albion</i> stealing their story.</p><p>“I don’t care who you are, you have gained access under false pretences and I would like you to leave.”</p><p>“I told you this wasn’t the right person.” Burt looked perhaps a little smug. “The young man who spoke to me was Welsh. I had a sergeant who sounded just like ‘im during the war.”</p><p>“Hello Burt, that would be me, Merlin.” Merlin walked over and shook Burt’s hand. “Nice to meet you in person. Sorry about whatever is going on here.”</p><p>He still didn’t understand. It wasn’t so much that the other station had landed on the same story, that was unsurprising, but that rather than trying to arrange their own interview they seemed to have gained access by pretending to be the <i>Wake Up</i> crew, which was just plain odd and really unprofessional. </p><p>“I’ll talk to ‘im,” Burt said, pointing at Merlin. “‘e’s the one who bothered to get in touch with me, not this other one.” </p><p>The <i>Good Morning Albion</i> journalist, a skinny man with dirty-blond hair and a sharp nose, glared at Merlin before turning back to Burt. </p><p>“I told you, Burt, I’m Cedric Sigan, we spoke yesterday, remember?”</p><p>Burt turned his full glare on Cedric. “Young man, just because I am 112 does not mean I have lost my faculties. We both know damn well you did not speak to me yesterday. Now, get out of here before I call the police. You little twerp.”</p><p>Merlin did his best not to laugh as the <i>Good Morning</i> crew packed up their gear and left. Gwaine, on the other hand, did not hide his laughter. “Bye lads, don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”</p><p>Even the stoic new cameraman, Percy, snorted at that. </p><p>The interview went well then, Burt clearly pleased at having got the better of ‘that bunch of ne'er do wells’. </p><p>Unfortunately, Agravaine turned out to be right and all the old ladies gathered for Burt’s birthday celebrations seemed to think Merlin was a lovely boy and kept pinching his cheeks. A couple even pinched his bum, and seriously Gwaine was never going to let anyone forget that.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Happy Hallowe’en! I will be the idiot dressed as Dracula in Asda, Lewisham this morning, please come and join us! ⚰️🩸 <span class="x1F383"><span class="hide">(Jack-O-Lantern )</span></span></p><p><span>#halloween #dracula</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 178 <span class="twTime"> 7:13 AM • Oct 31, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>50 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
As suspected, the morning of 31 October did indeed see Merlin with his hair slicked back, although the curls kept trying to escape, pointy plastic teeth, which inhibited his speech, and a long dark cape. Determined not to let himself become the silly joke act to distract people from the real news, he’d actually done proper research into old Highland Samhain traditions and compared them to newer American ones.  </p><p>It would have helped if Gwaine and Percy hadn’t sniggered every time they looked at him as he stood and shivered in his thin costume outside Asda in Lewisham before eight o’clock in the morning. Amidst the cheap plastic halloween costumes and giant pumpkins, he accosted various members of the public, who had presumably come out early to avoid other people before work, and lisped his questions at them through his false teeth. </p><p>“How long till our slot?” he asked Gwaine, his real teeth chattering. He’d been putting off going to the loo all morning because the stupid costume was so tricky to get in and out of, presumably real Vampires didn’t need to pee so had no need for ordinary flies on their trousers like a regular human person. Merlin really couldn’t afford to wait much longer, throwing up on TV was one thing, wetting himself would be the ultimate humiliation. </p><p>“Still got just under fifteen,” Percy replied, checking his watch. </p><p>Merlin uncliped his earpiece, radio mic and battery pack and handed them to Gwaine. There was no way he was going to let everyone listen to him relieving himself. “Back in a mo, have to pee!”</p><p>Despite running there and back, it took him ages to get his Dracula costume straight again and Gwaine was urgently beckoning him back into place as he approached.</p><p>“Ah, Merlin, there you are, we’d just about given up on you!” Arthur’s too-cheery voice crackled over the earpiece as he reattached it whilst Gwaine sorted the mic.</p><p>“Sorry, had to pee! This costume is not practical,” he replied before he shoved his fake teeth back in.</p><p>There was a moment of silence on the other end and then Arthur suddenly started laughing.</p><p>“Uh, Merlin, we’re actually on air…” Mithian’s voice also sounded like she was trying not to laugh. “… but I’m sure our viewers will be delighted to know that Vampires need comfort breaks too.”</p><p>Merlin could feel a blush forming on his face and hoped the white make-up the costume department slathered on him first thing hid it. He did his best to ignore his humiliation and carry on with his story. </p><p>He finished up the interview with a fake grin and a thumbs up to cover his internal cringing. </p><p>“Reminth me why I lefh a perfecthly good thob in Cardith for thith?” He lisped at Gwaine as they piled the equipment into the van to head back to the studio. He pulled the stupid teeth out and shoved them into his pocket.  “I mean, I do actually have a journalism degree.” He yanked off the comedy bowtie that felt like it was strangling him and threw it onto the passenger seat in disgust.</p><p>“Aww, but you look adorable, the grannies will love you.” Gwaine reached out and pinched Merlin’s white cheek before he could move out of the way. “Besides, where else could you tell the entire nation about your toilet habits?”</p><p>“There is no way that was fifteen minutes!”</p><p>Percy snorted as he locked the back door of the van and climbed into the driver's seat, but refrained from actually commenting. So far Merlin rather liked the stoic cameraman, and he hoped Percy would be with them permanently. He mostly kept himself to himself, as opposed to Gwaine who suffered from verbal diarrhoea. Not that he didn’t like Gwaine, it was impossible not to like Gwaine.</p><p>“Oi, Dracula! Bite me!” A gaggle of teenage boys in school uniform made rude gestures at them from across the supermarket carpark before running off cackling.</p><p>Gwaine put his hand up to make a rude gesture, which Merlin dragged back down before he could. “Don’t! Last thing we need is someone taking a picture of that on their phone. They’re only kids.”</p><p>“For fuck’s sake, Merlin, why do you have to go and be sensible? I thought you were more fun than this.” Gwaine climbed into the front of the van with a scowl.</p><p>Merlin sighed and shook his head. “Someone has to keep us in jobs, mate. Hey, Percy, how about stopping at that fast food van we passed on the way here? I’m starving and the sign said they do veggie hotdogs.”</p><p>“Yeah, Merlin loves sausages, they’re his favourite, he hasn’t had one for a couple of weeks.” Gwaine sniggered as Merlin swatted him over the head. “Oi! Watch the hair!”</p><p>They stopped by the burger van and climbed out. It was still too early for many people, and too late for the-breakfast-on-the-way-to-work crew, but a few passersby were giving them some very strange looks. Percy glanced back at Merlin and laughed. “How about I go and get what we want rather than Merlin scares everyone dressed like that.”</p><p>Merlin looked down at his dark suit and red lined cape. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? This is pretty standard work wear isn’t it? Latest fashion. I was thinking of just wearing this every day, it’s terribly practical.”</p><p>Percy snorted. “Careful, someone might mistake you for Agravaine.”</p><p>Merlin pretended to think. “Hmm, a blood-sucking creep that no one ever invites into their house, I can see the similarity.”</p><p>Percy went off to join the short queue while Merlin took off his cloak before getting back into the van.</p><p>“I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard him say,” Merlin said as he pulled a sweatshirt over his head. “Seems nice though, vast improvement on Val.” </p><p>“Hmm, he doesn’t have to say anything when he looks that fine.” Gwaine got back in the front passenger seat and folded his hands behind his head with his feet propped up on the dashboard. “I mean, I could watch him walk away all day, that arse is nearly as fine as Arthur’s. Although I do have to wonder how the sky stays up without Atlas there to hold it.”</p><p>Merlin gave him a very deliberate pinch on the arm. “Stop objectifying him!”</p><p>“Ah but come on, Merlin! Just look at the arse on that! Like two bowling balls in a hanky. Anyway, you’re a fine one to talk, don’t think I don’t see the way you check out Arthur.”</p><p>Merlin spluttered. “I most certainly do not!”</p><p>“It’s fine, everyone checks Arthur out, don’t worry about it. If he didn’t want us to look he wouldn’t do all that running.”</p><p>Percy opened the door and passed around the coffees. “It’s true, everyone checks Arthur out, even straight guys.” He nodded sagely and then went back to collect their food.</p><p>Gwaine looked back at Merlin and smirked. “Atlas has spoken. And he clearly knows how to appreciate the male form. Good to know.”</p><p>Merlin shook his head and sighed. “What happened to not wanting to sleep with colleagues? Anyway, how do you know he wasn’t classing himself as one of the straight guys?” </p><p>“A man can look, Merlin. A man can look.”</p><p>Gwaine was stopped from saying anything else by the loud bang of something hitting the side of the van.</p><p>“Losers!” a voice yelled from a dark blue van driving past. </p><p>Gwaine was up and out of the van in seconds. “Bastards!”</p><p>Merlin hurried out too just as Percy ran over. “Did you see who it was?” Percy asked, passing the food to Merlin before inspecting the van.</p><p>“Sodding <i>Good Morning Albion</i>.” Gwaine kicked the milkshake cup that had hit the van. There was what looked like chocolate milkshake all across Penny, the <i>Wake Up</i> dragon logo on the side – it had been a very good shot if nothing else.</p><p>“Did anyone else think that sounded like Valiant?” Merlin queried, trying to balance the hot food so it didn’t burn his fingers.</p><p>“Probably.” Gwaine reached over and snagged a hotdog. “Exactly the sort of shithole that would snap him up. He bit into his hotdog and pulled a face. “That is revolting.” </p><p>“Hey, that’s mine!” Merlin snatched his precious veggie hotdog back from Gwaine and handed him one of the other two. “Damn it, Gwaine, you could at least have checked before eating my breakfast.”</p><p>“You’re welcome to it, mate.” Gwaine wrinkled his nose again. “Give me a good honest pig sausage any day.”</p><p>“Yeah, you kid yourself that it’s pig and not rat or alien or something.” </p><p>“It’s definitely alien, I asked for it just for Gwaine.” Percy picked up the empty milkshake cup and threw it in the rubbish bin. “Come on, you can eat your alien sausage in the van, we’ll have to put this through a carwash.” </p><p>Gwaine shook his head and glared down the road. “I’m going to get those bastards, just you wait.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Remember to stay safe this Bonfire Night – info on fire and fireworks safety can be found on our website! Yes, that is me dressed as Guy Fawkes outside the Houses of Parliament. Hope I don’t get arrested for loitering! </p><p>💥<span class="x1F386"><span class="hide">(Fireworks )</span></span> <span class="x1F387"><span class="hide">(Firework Sparkler ≊ Sparkler)</span></span> </p><p>
<span>#fireworks #guyfawkes #firesafety</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 457<span class="twTime"> 7:02 AM • Nov 5, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>618 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><br/><p>“Why are we sitting around in a carpark?” The morning of the Fifth of November had taken a rather strange turn.</p><p>“Shhhhh.”</p><p>“But seriously, why are we? Some of us have work to do.” Merlin wriggled in the back of the van as he tried to remove the worst of his Guy Fawkes costume. </p><p>The wig came off easily enough, but the beard and moustache had been glued on too well and he’d have to go back down to the costume department to get it taken off properly or he’d risk ripping half his skin off. </p><p>“Shhhhhhh!” Gwaine scooted lower down in his seat, dragging Percy down lower too, not that it made much difference as he was still bigger than the statue of Christ the Redeemer. </p><p>Three people approached the now-familiar white van parked over the other side of the car park. It was easy enough to recognise Valiant’s lumbering form.</p><p>“Hey, isn’t that Sefa?” Merlin whispered. “When did she go to work for them?”</p><p>“Guess we know now why she kept going off sick. Cenred probably offered her a massive pay rise,” Percy replied.</p><p>“Will you two shut up and stop making so much noise!”</p><p>“Gwaine, please tell me you aren’t going to do something stupid.” </p><p>Of course Gwaine was about to do something stupid, he was Gwaine.</p><p>The Albion crew climbed into their van and drove off. Merlin breathed out a sigh of relief as Gwaine remained put and nothing bad seemed to happen.</p><p>Halfway out of the carpark, fireworks started to shoot out of the van’s exhaust pipe. </p><p>Gwaine hunkered even lower in his seat, giggling like a naughty school boy.</p><p>Val and the others climbed out of the van to examine what had happened. Of course, it didn’t take them long to spot the <i>Wake Up</i> van – it had a great big golden dragon in a red sun painted on the side, hardly ideal for covert ops. </p><p>“Shit, well done Gwaine, now he’s coming over!”</p><p>Gwaine just laughed more. “I’m not scared of that twat.”</p><p>“Right, well we don’t all have a death wish so Percy can you please just get us out of here?” Merlin could quite happily never have to deal with Valiant ever again. </p><p>“Aww. Merls, you spoil all my fun.” Gwaine waved at Val as they drove past. The sound of what might be a fist hitting the side of their van reverberated around. </p><p>“Seriously, mate, we’ve literally just done a piece on firework safety for Bonfire Night, Merlin is still dressed as Guy Fawkes.” Percy shook his head but didn’t seem able to stop himself grinning. “Pretty sure putting fireworks in an exhaust pipe counts high up on the list of things you shouldn’t do.”</p><p>“You do realise that if Uther gets wind of this he will probably fire the lot of us, right?” Merlin put in. Uther was going to make Guy Fawkes’s fate seem like the soft option if he got his hands on them.</p><p>“Relax, Merlin. They can’t prove it was us, we just happened to be in the same car park at the same time. Besides, Uther is only a stickler for the rules when it suits him – he hates Essetir TV, he’d probably give me a pay rise.”</p><p>Once they were back at the studio and he was finally free of his fake beard, Merlin headed up to editorial to search for a free desk.</p><p>“Oi, Ianto, a word!” A scowling Arthur Pendragon was stalking towards him practically before he even got through the door. </p><p>“My name is not Ianto.” Merlin sighed.</p><p>“Care to explain why I have just had bloody Cenred from <i>GMA</i> on the phone threatening to call the police because we’ve vandalised one of his vans?” </p><p>Typical, bloody typical. Gwaine pulled the prank and Merlin had to take the rap for it. </p><p>“Don’t know what you are talking about.” Merlin tried his best to look innocent.</p><p>“Don’t. Just don’t. You were seen.” Arthur folded his arms across his chest and glared.</p><p>“Seen doing what?” Merlin attempted to look innocent.</p><p>Arthur’s jaw twitched in a way that Merlin decided was not good. </p><p>“You,” he jabbed his finger into Merlin’s chest, “are still on probation, and I haven’t forgotten the vomit incident, or the pee incident. I can send you back to deepest darkest Wales at a moment’s notice, do not forget that.”</p><p>Merlin narrowed his eyes. “Just as well some of us happen to like ‘deepest darkest Wales’ then, isn’t it?” He was not going to be bullied by a prat like Arthur Pendragon who dared to besmirch Wales. “And don’t call it ‘the pee incident’, you make it sound like I pissed myself on camera!”</p><p>Arthur seemed momentarily lost for words and stood there and blinked at Merlin for a few seconds before scowling again. “If I ever get complaints about you attacking <i>GMA</i> staff again I’ll kick you all the way up the M4 myself.”</p><p>“So it’s fine for them to attack us?” Merlin was irritated now. “They can throw things at our van and try to muscle in on all our stories, steal our staff, but woe betide us if we retaliate? Go ahead, sack me, I’ll go and work for Cenred with everyone else. Did you know Sefa was working there now?”</p><p>He didn’t want to go and work for Essetir, they didn’t have a reputation for being the most scrupulous of companies, and Merlin still liked to think he had some level of integrity, both professional and personal, but Arthur was a stuck up pompous prat who really needed to be yelled at some times.</p><p>“Of course we know about Sefa.” Arthur ran a hand through his hair, which made it stand up on end in a way that was absolutely not endearing. “She handed in her notice last week. But look… there are ways of doing things, and sticking fireworks up exhaust pipes is not one of them. It was childish and dangerous, it puts the entire company in a really bad light. What if someone had been hurt?”</p><p>Merlin didn’t answer. These were pretty much the same arguments he and Percy had been saying to Gwaine the whole way back to the office, but he couldn’t tell Arthur that without dropping Gwaine in it. </p><p>Arthur clearly took Merlin’s silence as an admission of guilt because he nodded in a way that suggested Merlin had acknowledged his superiority. Merlin ground his teeth together. </p><p>“If that’s all, I really have to pee.” Merlin turned on his heel and walked off quickly before he said something he’d regret. </p><p>Why did Arthur have to be such an arse? Sometimes he was just like his bloody uncle.</p><p>Why did Arthur have to have such a great arse? </p><p>He shook his head. Bad thoughts, who cared what Arthur’s arse looked like in those suit trousers, he was an arse. Merlin didn’t like arses. Well, no he did… he didn’t like people who <i>were</i> arses. Like Arthur. </p><p>Anyway, Arthur was Gwen’s arse. No, that still sounded weird. And wrong. But she was welcome to him. Merlin really didn’t care. Really. Really really. Nope. No caring about Arthur here.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p><p class="stickyyellowA">
<i>Do you think, if left long enough, the mould might become sentient and walk the mugs to the kitchen to be washed?</i></p><p><br/>
<br/>
He glared at the note. Sarcastic pompous bastard, whoever they were. He had been planning on washing some of these mugs, they were mostly his after all, but now he was going to leave them there out of spite. He snapped a picture and put it on twitter for a laugh. No doubt George would be along soon to tell him off for that.</p><p>He sighed and went back to his research on the Bath Christmas Market. At least with Sefa gone he was getting more stories now, although his hopes of getting her desk had soon vanished as Agravaine’s new PA got there first.</p><p>When he was finished, he added another coffee mug to the pile and then, on a whim, he added a second post-it note.</p><p><br/>
</p><p class="stickyblueM">
  <i>I’m hoping it might rise up and kill all the stuck-up twats who annoy me.</i>
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Nice weather for Ducks! Hope you all stay safe and dry today as Storm Nimueh hits. <span class="x1F327"><span class="hide">(Cloud With Rain )</span></span> <span class="x2614"><span class="hide">(Umbrella With Rain Drops )</span></span> <span class="x1F4A7"><span class="hide">(Droplet )</span></span></p><p>
      <br/>
<span>#weather #storm_nimueh</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 764 <span class="twTime"> 8:15 AM • Dec 10, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>915 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
Someone on the management team, Merlin was willing to bet on Agravaine, seemed to think that the British public would not believe Storm Nimueh was howling across the country unless a certain skinny Welsh reporter was sent out to stand on a cold, wet, exposed bridge with his ears turning bright red from the cold.</p><p>Merlin had already tweeted a picture of Gwaine, with his long hair tied up in a bun to stop it flapping around his face, and man-mountain Percy trying to set up their equipment in a howling gale. The picture had gained a lot of retweets in a very short space of time. Pictures of the pair were always the most popular thing he posted; one particular shot of Gwaine eating an apple had actually gone viral with the hashtag <i>#Gwapple</i>. </p><p>At least Gwaine and Percy both had sturdy weatherproof jackets on to keep them a little bit warm and dry. Merlin, on the other hand, was wearing a smart dark red <i>Wake Up</i> waterproof, complete with Penny the Dragon logo, that looked good on camera but was actually barely waterproof at all and not even a little bit warm. </p><p>“Agravaine says can you unzip your coat so the audience can see you are still wearing a suit and tie.” Percy shouted as the wind tried to steal his words and send them the other way. “And take your hood down, they need to see your face.”</p><p>Easy for Agravaine to say, safe in the warm studio and barking orders down the phone while the three of them were either going to drown or get blown off the bridge. </p><p>Within a minute of taking his hood down, Merlin’s hair was plastered to his head with rivulets of rainwater running straight down his neck and under his collar. He would dearly love to hex Agravaine for this one. Moments after that, his umbrella turned inside out and blew away, so he had to give up on his last line of defence against the elements. Well, if there was one advantage to being Welsh, he could deal with a little bit of rain. Who needed an umbrella anyway, they were for wusses and English folk.</p><p>Finally, just as the shot was set up as Agravaine wanted it and Arthur had linked to them from his warm dry place on the <i>Wake Up</i> sofa, a familiar white van drove past, straight through a puddle, drenching all three of them. </p><p>“Are you alright?” Arthur’s laughing voice came down Merlin’s earpiece. </p><p>Merlin wiped the water from his face and gave the (hopefully still working) camera a quick thumbs up to stop himself from making the rude gesture he wanted to. He turned his head to look after the van, his face turned away from the camera so any strange lights that might reflect in his eyes wouldn’t show.</p><p>As they soggily drove back to London, the same white van was parked in a lay-by with Val and Cedric trying to change the tyre in the rain. Merlin might have grinned to himself as they went past and Percy honked the horn at them. Of course, it had absolutely nothing to do with him, he wouldn’t do such a thing.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p><p class="stickypinkA">
  <i>Flemming already discovered penicillin in 1928. This experiment can now be disposed of</i>
</p><p><br/>
Again, some smart arse had left a note on the old coffee mugs, almost like they didn’t get that the more condescending the notes were, the less chance there was of Merlin clearing them away. </p><p>Merlin rolled his eyes and did his best to ignore it. </p><p>But the note was just there, stuck to a bedazzled bright pink pair of rubber washing up gloves with faux fur cuffs, and it was distracting him from his work.</p><p>In the end, he got out his red pen and wrote a new note:<br/>
<br/>
</p><p class="stickyyellowM">
  <i>it took Florey and Chain another 17 years  to actually make it work, so maybe we should just leave it a while</i>
</p><p><br/>
He smirked to himself as he recapped his pen. There, let that show the supercilious prat. It was probably someone like George, or even worse, Agravaine.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Sometimes the Friday afternoon production meetings seemed to drag on for all eternity.</p><p>With only a few days till Christmas, Merlin was keen for the meeting to end. He had a train to catch – finally on his way back to Wales to see his Mam for the first time in four months, and it felt like Uther, who didn’t usually even bother with the meetings, was never going to shut up. </p><p>Merlin tried to surreptitiously glance at his watch. His train was at six, his bags were in the staff room waiting to go. He still had over an hour to get to Paddington. In rush hour. It would be fine. All fine. Absolutely fine. Fine fine fine.</p><p>A whole week off, no noisy neighbours, no uncomfortable bed, no idiotic stories, no having to see Arthur Pendragon’s beautiful face every day only to be reminded constantly that the man was an unattainable prat… A week spent with normal people talking with normal accents, in the best country in the world. He should never have left Wales.</p><p>“We need to pick up our ideas for the new year, Essetir are beating us in the ratings and I won’t stand for it.” Uther glared round the table like he was holding each person to blame.</p><p>“It seems to me that they will always do better if our best staff members keep moving to Essetir after we’ve trained them up so we are left with the dregs.” Agravaine cast a pointed sneer at Merlin as he said the word ‘dregs’.</p><p>“Well our new team members seem to be proving very popular,” Arthur said. “Mordred’s report last week on the Wheelchair Basketball League was one of the best reports we’ve done in ages and gained a lot of positive feedback. And Merlin’s Twitter page is doing quite well.” The last was clearly added as an afterthought, like Arthur didn’t want to praise Mordred and not Merlin too, even if it was only about bloody Twitter.</p><p>“As much fun as this is, can we actually get on with running ideas?” Morgana was not normally in these meetings either, her job as foreign correspondent meant she was usually in some exotic location while the rest of them were in London getting rained on. </p><p>Merlin glanced at his watch again. Less than an hour now. If he missed this train he might not get on another one… </p><p>Morgana examined her nails. “Well, I’d really like to discuss Merlin’s idea about the rise of the Wiccan faith in the UK.” Merlin perked up, he’d been trying to pitch this idea for as long as he’d been at the company, whilst not actually about magic like his own, it was still a move towards it. Morgana pulled out some notes. “I have some really great contacts who—”</p><p>Uther’s hand slapped down onto the table, a look of fury on his face that was actually quite scary. “We have been through this, Morgana! I will not give airtime to this mumbo jumbo and let that be an end to it!”</p><p>“But—”</p><p>“I said no, and my word on this is final. If there is no other business, this meeting is finished.”</p><p>Uther slammed his laptop closed, swept it up along with some papers from the desk and swept out of the room. Morgana, seemingly completely unfazed, simply shook her head and rolled her eyes. </p><p>“Right, well, you may all go.” Agravaine seemed even more smug than usual. </p><p>Deciding to put it all behind him for the time being, Merlin gathered his things together as fast as he could. If he hurried, he could still make that train.</p><p>He ran to the staffroom and grabbed his bags, quickly checking he had everything before racing towards the lift.</p><p>He bit back a groan as he heard his name being called.</p><p>“Merlin!” Arthur was hurrying towards him.</p><p>Merlin hit the call button anyway, he’d force Arthur to talk to him in the lift if he had too, he wasn’t going to miss this train.</p><p>“Have you got anything new on that Dame Helena story we discussed?” Arthur asked, almost like he couldn’t see that Merlin had his coat on and a suitcase in his hand.</p><p>“Can we not talk about this after Christmas? I have a train to catch in less than an hour and at this rate I’ll be lucky to make it so I really can’t stop.”</p><p>He and Arthur had been discussing the same story on and off ever since Merlin’s interview. Dame Helena had continued to make countless public appearances and was currently in line for a number one Christmas album despite Merlin’s insistence that she was a fraud. The difficulty was in proving it.</p><p>“If we leave this story too long, someone else will get there first.” Arthur actually did get into the lift with Merlin and carry on talking.</p><p>“Look, I have given you everything I have on this, Arthur. I will try and find time to do some more research on my <i>holiday</i>. You know, that thing people do where they don’t have to do any work?” The lift arrived at the ground floor and Merlin got out, hurrying towards the exit and the tube station.</p><p>“I take it you’re not coming to the Christmas party tonight?” Arthur, for some reason best known to himself, tagged along beside Merlin as he left the building.</p><p>“Nope, I booked this train ticket months ago, so… I already explained all this to Gwaine.”</p><p>“Right, I see. Gwaine.” Arthur stopped walking, meaning that Merlin had to stop too.</p><p>“Yeah, Gwaine. You know, sound guy, Irish, fit.”</p><p>“Yeah. Right. Hope you have a good holiday then.” Arthur held his hand out.</p><p>Merlin looked at the proffered hand for a moment, frowning. “Um, thanks, you too.” He shook Arthur’s hand and grinned. “Merry Christmas, Arthur. Sorry, but I really have to go!”</p><p>He made it to Paddington station and onto the train with about two minutes to spare. Filing himself down into his seat, he breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes, wishing he’d had time to run into M&amp;S and for a sandwich and a drink. </p><p>As the train started to pull away, he could swear he could still feel the press of Arthur’s hand to his and hear the soft ‘Merry Christmas, Merlin,’ that Arthur had said to his retreating back.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. TISWAS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Time off at last! Can’t wait to get home to Wales. :)</p><p><span class="x1F384"><span class="hide">(Christmas Tree )</span></span> <span class="x1F385"><span class="hide">(Father Christmas ≊ Santa Claus )</span></span> <span class="x1F389"><span class="hide">(Party Popper )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#christmas #wales</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 1.3k <span class="twTime"> 6:06 PM • Dec 23, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>15 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p>
“Well what do we have here? Some London hotshot who thinks he’s too good for bloody Wales, let alone Ealdor?” The voice rang out loud across the otherwise empty platform as Merlin disembarked from the train. Cold blue eyes narrowed in disdain as the speaker looked at Merlin.</p><p>Merlin sneered back. “Better than some country bumpkin with straw between his ears and a questionable philosophy on when to take a bath.”</p><p>“Ooh, bringing out the big words now, Emrys?” The newcomer stalked menacingly down the platform towards him</p><p>“What, ‘bath’? I know it’s both a difficult word and a foreign concept for you. I’d tell you to look it up in the dictionary, if only you could read.” Merlin stood his ground, waiting.</p><p>Scruffy, sandy hair, slightly muddy work clothes, the faint whiff of alpaca. The man stopped in front of him and continued to glare for a few seconds longer before he broke first, an inelegant snort leaving his mouth. </p><p>“Bloody hell, you even sound bloody English! It’s good to see you, daft boy.” His best friend enveloped him in a hug so tight you’d have thought he hadn’t seen him for five years rather than five months.</p><p>“Good to see you too, Will. And I do not sound English, take that back.” Merlin hugged back and just let himself revel in the feeling of being home. </p><p>“You’d better have a really good Christmas present for me in here.” Will let go at last and picked Merlin’s bags up from where he’d dropped them.</p><p>“Yeah, I got you a new brain cell to keep the other one company. Give me those, I can carry my own bags.”</p><p>“With those spindly little city boy arms? Nah, you’d fall over from the weight. Come on, I’m parked on a double yellow and you know Old Man Simmons will give me a ticket if he sees it.</p><p>Merlin snorted. Simmons had been the traffic warden around here ever since he could remember, and he’d had it in for Will for nearly as long. Will’s car was the same ancient Landrover bone-shaker Hunith had when they were children, sliding around in the back without seatbelts. It wasn’t the sort of four by four Merlin saw all the yummy mummies taking their kids to school in back in London, no, this was a proper farmer’s vehicle, with the back open to the elements and, from the smell of it, half a tonne of manure on board. </p><p>The sight of the farmhouse rolling into view at last meant Merlin had to blink back a tear before Will saw and ribbed him about it for the rest of Christmas. </p><p>It wasn’t a large farm, but it was cosy and it was home. Will had been helping Merlin’s Mam out with the farm ever since they were teenagers, when it became abundantly clear that Merlin was never going to be a natural farmer – no doubt over Christmas, the story would be trotted out again of the time he’d let all the alpacas wander down into the village on their own because, rather than paying attention to the beasts, he was spying on Old Man Simmons and Mrs Gruffydd. In his defence, he was convinced they were having an affair behind the very large and hairy back of Mr Gruffydd the butcher. How was he to know they were making their own bootleg vodka in the garage? The alpacas had chewed their way through the May Day bunting that was in the process of being put up, and Merlin had been Public Enemy No.1 in the village ever since.</p><p>Merlin went on to do a journalism degree at Bangor, leaving the farm in the much more capable hands of his Mam and Will.</p><p>“There you are at last! We were starting to think we weren’t good enough for you after London!” Hunith pulled Merlin into her arms the moment he got out of the car. “You’ve grown.” </p><p>Merlin laughed. “Mam, I’m nearly thirty-four, the only growing I have left to do is outwards.”</p><p>“Hmm.” Hunith pushed him back so she could take a good look at him. “Well you don’t seem to be doing much of that either, skinny as a fishing pole you are, do they not feed you in London? Is the food across the border really as bad as they say? I knew I shouldn’t have let you go.”</p><p>“I’m fine, stop worrying. I can look after myself.” He’d not yet had the heart to tell his mother how bad his flat was and that there was no oven in the slightly grotty kitchenette and one of the rings on the hob only worked sometimes. He was still hoping that he’d be able to find somewhere better before she decided to brave foreign travel and visit him.</p><p>“Well clearly not very well.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the warmth of the house. “Come on, I’ve a shepherd’s pie waiting for you.”</p><p>“Mam…” he started with a sigh as he took off his coat and boots.</p><p>“Yes, yes, I used that horrible quorn mince you like. Honestly, Merlin, I’ve only been feeding you your entire life, you haven’t been gone so long that I’ve forgotten.” </p><p>He followed her into the kitchen, the smell of food making his stomach rumble. </p><p>“Merlin, my boy!” Merlin’s old boss, Gaius, who also happened to be an old family friend, was sitting by the fire and he clambered to his feet as soon as Merlin walked through the door. </p><p>“Gaius! Are you here for the whole of Christmas?” Merlin couldn’t have stopped the grin that broke out on his face if he had tried. Gaius was an old family friend and Merlin’s mentor, both with his job and his magic. It looked like Merlin would be spending Christmas with his three favourite people. </p><p>He wasn’t lying when he told his mother that was the best meal he’d had since going to London. It wasn’t that she was an exceptional cook or anything, even Merlin, loyal as he was, could admit that, but there was something about a home cooked meal, made with love, that would beat any amount of stale pizza from the take away round the corner.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Merlin slept in late. Although that might have been particularly unforgivable on a farm, where his mother and Will had probably been up since five, he felt it was rather justified considering his usual sleep schedule, not to mention that he was actually sleeping in a comfortable bed with not a single noisy neighbour for miles. Although he wouldn’t be surprised if he could still hear ‘Yes Davy’ from there.</p><p>He spent most of Christmas Eve helping to put up decorations and preparing food for the next day whilst drinking sherry – a drink that only ever seemed bearable on Christmas Eve.</p><p>Of course, a day of peace was too much to ask. At around three in the afternoon, his mobile started to buzz.</p><p>“Merlin? It’s Ellie…”</p><p>“Hi El, happy Christmas!” He was trying to be positive, but he had a feeling of doom hanging over him.</p><p>“You too. Erm…”</p><p>Merlin sighed. Please don’t let him have to go back to London yet. “Go on.”</p><p>“Ok.” Elena’s voice was apologetic before she’d even begun, it did not bode well. “So… you know I was supposed to be doing a piece on the South Queensferry Loony Dook?”</p><p>“The what?”</p><p>“The Loony Dook? It’s in Scotland? You know, where people go swimming in the sea on New Year’s Day?” She said all this like it was perfectly normal and Merlin should know what she was talking about.</p><p>“In the sea? In January?” Oh he did not like the sound of this….</p><p>“Well… Apparently that Cedric bloke from <i>Good Morning Albion</i> is doing the same thing somewhere down south.”</p><p>“Okaaay?” Perhaps she just wanted him to kidnap Cedric or something. Because, that would be better than the alternative he could hear stampeding towards him. “Ellie, please don’t be asking me to swim in the freezing cold Scottish sea in January.”</p><p>“Well… no. Not Scotland. And not January!” she said brightly. Even though this sounded better, he had a feeling it wasn’t. “We thought that maybe we could catch them out and do one of the Boxing Day swims instead? And, well… apparently there is one in Llandudno! Isn’t that near you?” Yep, there it came, heading straight for him.</p><p>“Nearish, I suppose. You want local knowledge?” Please let it just be that. Nothing that involved Merlin’s pasty skinny body being submerged in freezing cold water on national TV. </p><p>“Well… The thing is… I’m sort of in France until Sunday… so Arthur thought that maybe…” To be fair to Elena, she really did sound sorry. </p><p>“I see. Arthur’s on his way to Wales to do the swim himself I suppose?”</p><p>Elena didn’t answer, which was all the answer he needed.</p><p>“Do I have a choice?”</p><p>“It would be great viewing figures. And I would be eternally in your debt. And I would love you forever and agree to have your babies.”</p><p>“A little extreme. And you know full well you are perfectly safe and not my type. I’m assuming I’m not just going to be reporting from the sidelines and watching the crazy people get in the water?”</p><p>“I’m not asking you to do anything I wouldn’t do! I was totally going to take part in the Loony Dook. I did it last year.”</p><p>“Of course you were.” Elena was exactly the sort of person who would do that, probably for fun. Merlin, on the other hand, had been looking forward to spending the morning of Boxing Day snuggled up in his warm bed.</p><p>Merlin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine, email me the details,” he heard himself say. Why was it always him?<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Just been roped into the Llandudno Boxing Day Dip! Raising money for the Albert Kennedy Trust, please sponsor me! Info on the Wake Up web page</p><p><span class="x1F3CA"><span class="hide">(Swimmer )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#llandudno #torture #evil_elena</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 1.6k <span class="twTime"> 7:24 PM • Dec 23, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>1.1k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p>
Gwaine and Percy and a van full of equipment showed up on the evening of Christmas day, looking far more cheerful than you’d expect for two men who’d just been dragged away from their families at Christmas and told to drive all the way to North Wales. Merlin felt particularly sorry for Percy – Gwaine was great, but he would not want to be stuck on the road with him for that long.</p><p>The studio had been more than willing to put them up last minute in a hotel, but Hunith wouldn’t hear of it. “It’s Christmas!” she had said, as though that explained everything.</p><p>Merlin didn’t bother arguing, he knew his mother when she got like that. At least Valiant wasn’t still with the company, the thought of spending Christmas with that git was not appealing.</p><p>“How did you two get roped into this?” Merlin asked as he let them in. “Won’t your families be missing you?”</p><p>“I’m not exactly on speaking terms with my Ma and sister at the moment.” Gwaine shrugged as he pulled his overnight bag out of the van. “And they’re the only family I have, so I was stuck in England anyway. You’re always telling me Wales is better, time to prove it.”</p><p>Merlin knew better than to pry into why Gwaine had fallen out with his mother – Gwaine was an oversharer, so if he didn’t want to tell he must have a good reason. Instead he just grinned. “Of course Wales is better!”</p><p>Percy, quiet as ever, simply shrugged. “I don’t have any family.”</p><p>Merlin recognised the look on his Mam’s face at that point that said she was about to adopt Percy, just like she had with Will all those years ago.</p><p>“I hope you two don’t mind sharing,” Hunith said, eyes softening as she looked at the giant in front of her. “Merlin can bunk down with Will, that leaves you two either both in the double bed in Merlin’s room or one of you on the settee, but I must warn you that the settee is older than Merlin and you’re likely to get springs in strange places if you choose that option.”</p><p>Gwaine looked over at Percy and grinned. “I don’t mind sharing if you don’t.” </p><p>Percy looked slightly uncertain but nodded. “So long as you keep to your own side of the bed.”</p><p>“I’m wounded, Percy, wounded I tell you.”</p><p>The rest of Christmas day was spent with good food and alcohol and inevitably descended into relating embarrassing stories from Merlin’s childhood. </p><p>Merlin put up with it and tried not to think too hard about swimming in the ice-cold sea.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“So, Arthur sent these for you to wear.” Gwaine held up a tiny scrap of scarlet fabric. “He seemed very keen to see you in them.”</p><p>“I’m not wearing that!” Merlin ignored the couple of octaves his voice rose as he took the item from Gwaine, holding it between thumb and forefinger like it might be contagious. It turned out to be a very tiny pair of red speedos. “I’ll get arrested for public indecency!”</p><p>“Oh, and on that matter, Elena said we have to keep an eye out for skinny dippers because we don’t want to accidentally broadcast anything we shouldn’t,” Percy said as he glanced down at the speedos and shook his head. “Although if you wear those we could end up doing that anyway.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it, mate.” Gwaine clapped him on the back. “You can blame any size-related issues on the cold water.”</p><p>“I don’t have any size-related issues!” Did he? He didn’t think he did… Should he worry about that too? Had Edwin ever complained about it? But then Edwin never… no, no, Merlin was not thinking about that man. </p><p>“He’s probably a trombone player like George, a grower not a shower,” Percy said.</p><p>“Oh bloody hell, don’t you start on the brass jokes, it’s bad enough George doing it! I’ll tell him you’re a fellow enthusiast if you like, imagine the hours of fun you could have as he explains to you that it’s not a trombone, it’s a Sousaphone!”</p><p>“Yeah, George has no issues with the size of his instrument!” Gwaine laughed at his own joke.</p><p>Percy shuddered. “Don’t even go there, I don’t want to think about it!”</p><p>“I’m not wearing speedos on national television. Or at any other time. Why can’t I wear a wetsuit or something?” Merlin crossed his arms stubbornly. It was one thing to rope him into this against his will, but quite another to expect this! Did they not know how unappealing his nearly naked body was? </p><p>
  <i>…all skin and bones, who would want to look at that?</i>
</p><p>No of course they didn’t, he made a point of never letting anyone see it! He needed one of those old Victorian woollen bathing suits that went from his chin to his knees.</p><p>“Don’t be a wimp, Merls,” Will spoke up from where he was lounging against the doorframe. “No one wears a wetsuit to the Boxing Day Dip, it’s fancy dress or ordinary swimwear.”</p><p>“These are not ordinary swimwear!” His voice was going squeaky again. “Where the hell did Arthur even get them?”</p><p>“Maybe they’re his own personal ones,” Will suggested. “I hope he at least washed them.”</p><p>“Definitely not wearing them!” Merlin threw the offending garment back at Gwaine who started sniggering even as they hit him in the face. </p><p>“You owe me a tenner,” Percy said to Gwaine. “I told you he wouldn’t wear them.”</p><p>“You made a bet on me?” Merlin stared between the two of them. Did they just see him as a joke too? </p><p>Percy shrugged. “<i>Those</i> are actually Gwaine’s. The ones Arthur sent are here.” He tossed another pair of red swimming trunks at Merlin, this time just ordinary red shorts but with Penny the Dragon logo displayed in gold across the right arse cheek.</p><p>“How do I know you’re not winding me up again? And where on Earth did you find <i>Wake Up</i> swimming trunks?”</p><p>“Sorry, mate, these ones are actually from the wardrobe department, and you do have to wear them.” Gwaine shook his head but carried on grinning.</p><p>“Oh fuck my life.” Merlin sank down onto the bed and wished he’d never answered the phone to Elena. At least these were better than the speedos. “Can I wear a t-shirt?”</p><p>“Nope.” Gwaine grinned again. “You have to do it properly, so the viewers don’t think you’re cheating.”</p><p>“Come on,” Percy said, looking at his watch. “Registration is at ten fifteen, and we still have to get there.”</p><p>“Do you know the way or do you want to follow us?” Will asked.</p><p>“What do you mean, follow you?” Merlin followed Will out of the room. “You’re not coming!”</p><p>“Free country, Merls, you don’t own Llandudno.” Will grinned at him before he hurried down the stairs.”</p><p>“Oi, trunks.” Percy stopped Merlin as he made to follow Will and tossed the swimming trunks to him. “Unless you want to be one of the skinny dippers.”</p><p>By the time Merlin got down stairs everyone else was ready to go, and by everyone else he really meant all of them. His mother and Gaius were grinning at him from Will’s car and he really didn’t have time to try and stop them. At least his mother was waving a thermos at him, Gwaine and Percy would never have thought of that.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Can’t believe I’m actually going to do this <span class="x1F3CA"><span class="hide">(Swimmer )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#llandudno #boxing_day_dip</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2.3k <span class="twTime"> 6:36 AM • Dec 26, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>1.1k people are talking about this</span><br/>
</p></div></div><br/>Merlin had spent a lot of Christmas Day doing research and reading over all the notes Elena had sent – he’d even looked up her swim last New Year on youtube. Nevertheless, he was surprised at just how many people were there.<p>Who on earth willingly got out of a nice warm bed, after spending the previous day eating and drinking, to go and jump in the freezing cold sea when they should be just generally appreciating not having to get up and go to work? Apparently Elena Goodwin, that’s who. </p><p>At least Merlin could claim this as work, he didn’t class himself as one of the odd people who did this for <i>fun</i>. His idea of an ideal Boxing Day was staying in bed till eleven and then eating chocolate for breakfast. </p><p>Some people were there in full fancy dress, there were elves and Santas and even a rather scary-looking 6ft+ hairy Christmas fairy, who apparently doubled as a truck driver called Barry, from Barry, the rest of the year. </p><p>Merlin snapped a few pictures with his phone and uploaded it to his Twitter. He seemed to have gained quite a lot of followers over the last few months and the support and sponsors for this swim were gaining momentum with surprising speed. There were even a few people there with banners with his name on! </p><p>By quarter to eleven, having interviewed some of the more interesting participants, as well as volunteers from the RNLI and St Johns Ambulance, Merlin was huddled up with everyone else waiting to begin. Despite the deceptive blue sky and sun, it was damn cold and he was freezing in just the Camelot red swimming trunks, and his thin <i>Wake Up</i> waterproof jacket thrown over the top did nothing to warm him. Will, Gwaine and Percy giggled from a safe distance, snapping pictures with Merlin's phone and no doubt causing havoc on his Twitter, while Hunith was frowning and shaking her head a lot.</p><p>His only real hope was that all sane people were still asleep and would not be watching this. Ordinarily the <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> show would be over by 9a.m., but normal scheduling was not a thing on a bank holiday, and BBC1 would be showing the swim live as part of their sports scheduling before going back to whatever cartoons were on.</p><p>“So, Merlin,” Arthur’s smug voice crackled over Merlin’s earpiece. “Are you looking forward to this nice warm leisurely swim?” Arthur, of course, was a regular sports presenter for the BBC, particularly Pendragon Media’s <i>Football Crazy</i> and <i>Sporting Life</i>, so Merlin was still stuck with him even for this.</p><p>Bastard. It was alright for Arthur, safely in the warm studio, far away from the freezing water and all these odd people dressed as elves. </p><p>“Absolutely, it’s a shame you were unable to join me this morning, Arthur.” Merlin grinned at the camera and did his best to look like he wasn’t freezing to death. Merlin actually might have been happier in a matching fairy costume to Barry’s rather than exposing his skinny white self to the population of Great Britain, but at least he wasn’t wearing Gwaine’s indecent speedos.</p><p>“Yes, such a shame.” Arthur seemed to be rather enjoying himself at Merlin's expense.</p><p>Merlin narrowed his eyes. “Of course, a lot of the swimmers here are raising money for charity, as we’ve just heard.” He waved an arm towards the small crowd forming behind him. “As this was all a bit last minute on my part, I haven’t had time to collect many sponsors but if people want to donate, <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> have set up a sponsorship page and the details are hopefully on people’s screens right now. I’m raising money for <i>The Albert Kennedy Trust</i>, a homeless charity that helps LGBTQ+ people, and I’m sure everyone will be pleased to know that Arthur himself has promised to match any donations that come in before the end of the swim!”</p><p>There was a small choking noise on the other end of the speaker which only made Merlin’s grin brighter. Arthur had, of course, said no such thing, but it was hardly a claim he could back out of now. Merlin would feel guilty, but Arthur wasn’t exactly poor. Besides, in approximately two minutes, the smug git would be getting a good laugh at Merlin’s expense, this little revenge was nothing.</p><p>Merlin removed his microphone and earpiece and handed them over to Gwaine. Then, he removed his jacket, exposing himself to the chilling December wind. </p><p>Now there was just skinny pale Merlin in nothing but those shorts, waiting for the whistle to send him into that oh so un-tempting water. </p><p>He moved on instinct when everyone else did, herd mentality. As he hit the freezing water it felt like the air left his lungs and he stopped, thigh deep. He turned slightly towards the camera and suddenly realised that all the people behind him dressed as elves and Father Christmas were still piling into the water and before he knew it, Barry the Hairy Fairy had plowed into him, sending him down under the water. </p><p>“Doesn’t count unless you go right in, lad!” Barry yelled as Merlin resurfaced. Barry dived under the surface himself before making as many splashes as possible on his way back up.</p><p>The water was even colder than Merlin had anticipated, and after a very short time he didn’t think he could feel his feet any more. Nevertheless, Elena had told him he had to stay there for at least five minutes. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Eventually back on dryish land, till dripping wet and mostly naked, barely even out of the water, he turned to face the camera with his teeth chattering. Gwaine handed him a microphone, there being nowhere to put a radio mic, let alone the battery pack, but stood back with a big fluffy boom mic as well.</p><p>Merlin could barely get his words out he was so cold, and Gwaine kept trying to relay Arthur’s questions to him because of course he didn’t have his earpiece in. Part way through, even though the camera was still rolling, Hunith suddenly barged into shot armed with several big fluffy towels and a yellow woolly hat with a big red  pom pom – at least the hat was <i>Wake Up</i> colours, albeit accidentally.</p><p>“That is enough! My boy is not catching his death for the sake of some silly interview. What is wrong with you people?” She wrapped a big pink and blue striped beach towel around Merlin and then took up another to try to dry his hair.</p><p>“Mam! We’re on live telly!” He tried to step out of the way of the towel aimed at his head.</p><p>Hunith waved a dismissive hand at the camera. “Will they get better ratings if you catch pneumonia?” She dragged the wooly hat over his still-wet hair.</p><p>He ducked away from her again, very aware of people around him finding the whole thing hilarious and taking pictures. “Have a great Boxing Day, everyone!” He managed to get a quick thumbs up to camera before Hunith descended again with socks, an oversized jumper and a thermos of chocolate.</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>I survived! Thanks to me Mam!</p><p>
      <br/>
<span>#llandudno #boxing_day_dip #loveyoumam #merlinsurvives</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2.8k <span class="twTime"> 6:06 PM • Dec 26, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>1.3k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p><p><br/>
“Alright, Mammy’s boy?” Mordred patted him on the shoulder and laughed. </p><p>“Oh give it a rest, will you?” That had to have been at least the hundredth time he’d heard of a variation of the same joke in the three hours he’d been back at work. </p><p>“Hashtag dragon!mamma has been trending since Christmas, if you don’t like it you should have left her at home.” Arthur’s drawl cut across the room and Merlin didn’t have to look over to know there would be a shit-eating smirk on his face. </p><p>“I was supposed to be on holiday, remember?” Merlin glared at the pompous stuck up twit. “If you send tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber to my house at Christmas to tell my Mam that you are going to try freezing me to death for lols, of course she is going to turn up! I’d like to see you try and stop her.”</p><p>“I’m I dumb or dumber in that equation?” Gwaine asked from the doorway.</p><p>“If the cap fits,” Merlin snarked, glaring over his shoulder. He sighed. It wasn’t fair, blaming Gwaine, he and Percy were good people and he liked them both, but it wasn’t like he’d asked for this situation.</p><p>“Would that be the hand-knitted yellow woolly cap with the pompom on the top that your mother put on you?” Mordred asked, sniggering the whole time.</p><p>Arthur snorted as well and clapped Mordred on the shoulder. “Even if that cap fitted, rather than having a pompom bigger than your head, you wouldn’t choose to wear it, would you?”</p><p>“Well don’t worry, I doubt they make any hat big enough to fit your enormous head!” Merlin practically growled the words out before flouncing out of the room. And yes, he did flounce, ta, was there a problem with that? He’d flounce if he wanted to and anyone who didn’t like it could piss right off. No matter what he’d done since starting this bloody job, all he would ever be was a laughing stock! And not a single one of them cared that he’d been standing there shivering on the verge of hypo<i>bloody</i>thermia trying to deliver a piece to camera and if it hadn’t been for his Mam he could have ended up in hospital or something! With no toes!</p><p>Even though there was a perfectly good kettle in the break room, he decided to head down to the cafeteria to get a coffee just so he could avoid his colleagues. However, it would appear that the whole of Pendragon Media had seen his Boxing Day Dip piece and everywhere he went he encountered people asking him how his Mam was. At this rate he might as well have gone home and looked after alpacas while his Mam came to London and did his job. </p><p>At least by the time he got back to editorial, Arthur seemed to have left for the day, that was one less person to give him a hard time. Merlin felt a little guilty that he had actually ended up costing Arthur quite a lot of money – who knew people could make that many donations in such a short space of time? At least it would help the charity, but still.</p><p>He collected his stuff together and went to see if the office at the end of the corridor was free so he could get on with his work without all the constant jibes.<br/>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p class="stickygreenA">
<i>The mould to the right of the pen pot is starting to look like George. It'd better not tell me jokes about brass bands.</i></p><p><br/>
The bright green post-it had been stuck right in the middle of the monitor screen so there was no way Merlin couldn’t see it. Whoever this was, they must have been pretty sure Merlin would be along to read it.</p><p>To be fair, some of those mugs were starting to look like a biohazard. He pulled the stack of post-its towards him.<br/>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p class="stickypinkM">
  <i>The biscuit crumb mould towards the back looks a bit like Agravaine, I think it’s trying to kill me.</i>
</p><p><br/>
He giggled to himself as he stuck a pink post-it to the green one. Of course, he had to move them both so he could get on with his work so he stuck them next to a photograph of a child pulling a silly face at the camera.</p><p>It briefly crossed his mind again that this might be Agravaine’s office, but he shrugged it off. This person had a sense of humour, Agravaine did not. And there was no way Agravaine had kids, biscuit mould didn’t procreate, it just sort of multiplied. Besides, he was fairly sure Agravaine had that big sunny office next to Uther’s. It would be fine.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Visiting Nemeth today. The whole village is flooded after the recent storms. If you want to help there is a donations page on the <i>Wake Up</i> website.</p><p>
      <span>#nemeth #flood</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3k <span class="twTime"> 6:49 AM • Dec 26, 2019</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>2.2k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><br/><p>He wasn’t that surprised to see the opposition at the Village of Nemeth; a lot of other news programmes were there too. The heavy rain and storms had led to the village being close to flooded over the Christmas, and then last night the river had finally broken its banks, flooding the main street and quite a lot of houses and businesses. </p><p>“Ahoy there, Mammy’s boyo!” Cedric Sigan, a reporter for <i>Good Morning Albion</i>, made an exaggerated thumbs up sign at Merlin to go with the terrible fake Welsh accent.</p><p>“Come on,” Merlin turned to Percy and Gwaine, the latter of whom was very hungover. “Lets go further over so we don’t have to deal with stupid people.”</p><p>Merlin aimed a haughty glare at Cedric before following his team. He was pretty sure the three of them were owed the day off as they had all had to give up their Boxing Day and, in Gwaine and Percy’s case, a good part of Christmas Day too. He could accept that they all had to work some of the bank holidays, but that still meant they were owed at least one back.</p><p>“Merlin, I think that’s your phone.” Gwaine’s voice cut through Merlin’s grumpy musings.</p><p>Merlin pulled his phone out, assuming it would be his Mam or Will calling to wish him a happy birthday and forgetting, as always, that he worked first thing in the morning. However, as he looked at the screen nothing so pleasant was awaiting him.</p><p>“Agravaine.” He did his best to put on a bright and breezy tone rather than letting his dislike for the man show.</p><p>“Ah, Merlin, new plan.” Agravaine didn’t bother with pleasantries, of course. “I need you to go and purchase a pair of waders, or perhaps if you could borrow them off one of the locals.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You know, waders. Long wellingtons, like fishermen wear.”</p><p>Merlin wasn’t stupid, he could see where this was going. He eyed the new lake that had formed in the middle of the village before turning his gaze to the half-drowned shopfronts and houses. “Agravaine.” He sighed the name out as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Everything here is underwater. The locals cannot get into their own houses or shops, there is no way I can get hold of waders – anything like that is in use already. And even if I could, it’s hardly appropriate!”</p><p>“Come on now, Merlin, enough negativity before you’ve even tried.” There was far too much jollity to Agravaine’s voice. Merlin took in the devastation around him and thought it was just as well the smarmy git was too far away to punch. He sent a small little tiny amount of power down the phone and grinned at the small yelp from the other end as Agravaine no doubt thought his phone had just given him an electric shock.</p><p>“Fine,” he said. No doubt Agravaine would not pick up on the extreme sarcasm he laced his words with. “I’ll ask around the village and see if any of the people who are busy trying to save their homes and businesses, can lend me a pair of waders so we can take the piss out of them, shall I?”</p><p>“Yes, why don’t you do that. I seem to be having a problem with this handset so I’m going to hang up now.” And with that Agravaine was gone.</p><p>Merlin glared at his mobile before switching it off – couldn’t have it ringing while he was live on telly after all, he wasn’t an amateur. He headed off to make himself the most unpopular man in Nemeth.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
It was always going to happen, Merlin reflected morosely as he stood in the middle of the water. This was always where he was going to end up. Happy sodding birthday to him. </p><p>He’d taken the time to actually talk to the residents, making sure the interviews made it into the programme. He’d learnt by now that if he spoke to Finna, or even to Gwen or one of the other anchors, he could usually get better results than if he tried to reason with Agravaine. Reason and Agravaine did not belong in the same sentence.</p><p>That didn’t change the fact that he was standing knee-deep in the middle of what used to be the high street and was now a lake. He hadn’t managed to find waders, but he had borrowed a pair of muddy welly boots, which hadn’t exactly smelled the best, and the water was now threatening to come over the top. </p><p>“Mischa, Mummy! There’s Mischa!” Two children over at the other end of the street where the water hadn’t reached were being held back by their mother.</p><p>“We have to save her! I’m a good swimmer!” The little boy was struggling hard. </p><p>“Johnny! Come away from the water right now! Mischa will be fine.”</p><p>“She won’t!” The little girl stamped her foot. “She’s only a kitten, and she can’t swim yet and cats don’t even <i>like</i> water!”</p><p>Merlin looked over to where the children were pointing and saw what appeared to be a small black and white kitten clutching onto a low branch of a tree that looked like it might get swept away any moment. Shaking his head he realised that he was the only person in a position to rescue the cat, thereby stopping the children from attempting it themselves and potentially drowning. Hopefully his cat allergy would hold off long enough to hand the kitten back to the kids and he wouldn’t have a massive rash when the camera started rolling. He always lived in hope that one day he would go near a cat and not react to it; he loved cats, his body didn’t.</p><p>He made his way over to the tree through the dirty water. “Here catty.” </p><p>The kitten blinked large green eyes down at him but made no attempt to move. Merlin stretched up, slipping a little in the water and briefly ending up waist-deep. The water was well and truly over the top of his borrowed boots now and squelched unpleasantly when he tried to move. </p><p>Soon, after a little persuasion, perhaps with a tiny bit of calming magic, the kitten was out of the tree and cuddled into Merlin’s neck.</p><p>He was surprised by the loud cheer he heard and turned around to see half the village seemed to have gathered to watch. He groaned again as he realised Percy was filming him, of course he was. He hadn’t even finished being a laughing stock for the hat thing yet!</p><p>He made his way over to the children and their mother. He was sure his eyes were already starting to burn and his skin was itching as the little cat buried its head under his chin. He would definitely be paying for this later. </p><p>“Mischa!” The little girl reached up to relieve him of his burden.</p><p>“Thank you so much!” The mother smiled at him.</p><p>“I could have got her!” The little boy sulked.</p><p>Merlin sneezed. Several times. Loudly.</p><p>He made his way back over to Percy, desperately trying not to rub his eyes. He probably still had cat all over his hands and rubbing that straight into his eyes would only make it worse, but hell his eyes were itching and burning. He sneezed again and scratched at his neck. </p><p>Whatever Gwen was saying over his earpiece was probably very important. All he could concentrate on right now was getting to the end of his segment so he could get away and find the nearest pharmacy. He forced himself to grin at the camera and gave them a quick thumbs up before sneezing again.</p><p>“Antihistamine,” he wheezed at Gwaine when the camera finally stopped rolling. “Cats…”</p><p>“Bloody hell mate, you don’t look good.” Gwaine took off at a run. </p><p>Gwaine returned a few moments later with the local GP, who took one look at Merlin and rolled her eyes. “Why did you do that if you have an allergy?” she asked, tutting. “Honestly, how can we help people if they won’t help themselves.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Merlin spent the next few hours of his birthday feeling like his eyes had been stabbed with red hot pokers and the skin around his neck set on fire. Once they got back to the studio, he locked himself away in the office he liked to think of as his and indulged in feeling utterly miserable. </p><p>A new post-it, blue this time, said,<br/>
</p><p class="stickyblueA">
  <i>The mould we really need to worry about is the hairy one that looks like Cenred</i>
</p><p><br/>
Merlin laughed and added his response:<br/>
</p><p class="stickygreenM">
  <i>The green slimy one next to it must be that smug little toad Cedric.</i>
</p><p><br/>
He looked up guiltily when the door opened just as he was adding to the note.</p><p>“Merlin, how are you feeling?” Gwen smiled as she put a fresh cup of tea down in front of him.</p><p>He shrugged. “I’ll survive. Thanks Gwen.”</p><p>“Your Mum rang the studio, apparently you’re not answering your mobile and she’s worried.”</p><p>“Oh!” He sat up and dug his phone out of his pocket. “I forgot I switched it off after a particularly stupid conversation with Agravaine.”</p><p>Gwen laughed. “Can’t say I blame you. Let me guess, it was his idea for you to stand in the middle of the water?”</p><p>Merlin nodded miserably. “Switching him off didn’t even work, he just called Percy instead.”</p><p>“I spoke to your Mum, she seems really nice.”</p><p>Merlin nodded. “I’d better call her back, I didn’t mean to worry her.”</p><p>“Well, she said to tell you she’s going to Brenda’s and she’ll call tomorrow. So grab your coat, you’re coming home with me.”</p><p>“What?” He blinked at her in confusion.</p><p>Gwen looked a little uncertain. “Well, I mean, you don’t have to, I’m not trying to bully you or anything. I just mean, well… You’ve had a rough day, you need a little TLC. It’s just a family dinner to celebrate the New Year. Dad and Elyan, my brother, will be there, and Morgana. But it’s up to you, so no pressure or anything…”</p><p>Merlin started to laugh and then immediately felt guilty for it when Gwen was being so nice. “Uther won’t be there will he?”</p><p>She shook her head so quickly her curls bounced. “No, he has a prior engagement, we’re all very sad about it.” Her face was completely straight but the spark in her eye said maybe she wasn’t that sorry.</p><p>“Thanks, Gwen, but I don’t think it would be right if I crash a family dinner. I mean, Arthur already doesn’t like me much. And I’m a veggie, so that normally puts people off cooking for me, especially last minute.”</p><p>She waved a hand dismissively. “Arthur is cooking a roast, so you could always just have the veggies, if that’s ok? He does great roast parsnips, I’ll call him and tell him to do extra. And some for you too.”</p><p>“Arthur cooks?” Merlin didn’t even bother trying to hide the surprise in his voice. He couldn’t imagine Arthur doing menial tasks, if he’d thought about it he’d probably have assumed the Pendragons had a legion of staff to attend to their every whim. </p><p>She laughed. “He’s actually quite good. And what on earth makes you think Arthur doesn’t like you? If anything I’d say… um… oh never mind… but seriously, he definitely likes you… I mean… um…. Anyway! Come on if you’re coming. I’ll take you there, Elyan can drive you home after, he’ll be coming back this way.”</p><p>Not one to turn down a free feed, Merlin quickly gathered his stuff together and followed Gwen down to the car park.</p><p>“Miss Lyons, can we have your autograph!” Two fans were waiting the moment they left the building. Merlin stood back while Gwen dutifully signed tour tickets and posed for pictures. He never had to worry about this sort of thing, he was quite happy to leave it to the anchors.</p><p>He had celebrated a moment too soon however, as the two girls whispered to each other and then asked for his autograph too. </p><p>“Can we get a picture of the two of you together?” one of them asked.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Merlin was surprised, but stood closer to Gwen for a picture. Both girls kept holding their thumbs up at him. He cast a confused look at Gwen, then copied the pose, which seemed to make them happy. Gwen simply shrugged and dragged him towards her car.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
It came as no surprise at all that Arthur’s house was so far into the outskirts of the city it was practically in the countryside. And of course, it was massive.  A long driveway skirted a well kept lawn that seemed to stretch right around the side of the house, a sturdy gate and high wall keeping nosy eyes away. The house itself had that sort of Elizabethan look to it, with some parts in old red brick and the top in white plasterwork with black strips of wood.</p><p>Gwen looked over at him as she parked and laughed. “Nice, isn’t it? It was Arthur’s Grandmother’s house, his Mother grew up here. You can see why I found it so hard to say no when he suggested I move in. Plus, of course, he cooks!”</p><p>“You two aren’t actually married though?” It was a question he’d been dying to ask for a while.</p><p>She shook her head. “Neither of us really believes in marriage – I mean, we have everything we need right here, getting married would have been pointless. I’m not saying never, I’m not totally anti like Arthur. Seriously, don’t even get him started on the subject, it’s like he’s marriage phobic or something. He will bore you silly.”</p><p>Merlin felt utterly out of place and he hadn’t even stepped out of the car yet. He thought back to the farmhouse he’d grown up in, with the lock on the front door you had to know how to jiggle to get it to open, and the light on the upstairs landing that only worked if you switched on the light in the bathroom because apparently his Tad might have had magic but couldn’t deal with electrics at all. They’d had a legion of electricians in over the years to try and solve that little issue, and none had succeeded. And there were potholes in the path out front that you could lose an entire car down if you weren’t careful. This house was nothing like that.</p><p>Inside, the Pendragon house was even posher. Dark wood panelling in the hallway carried on the Tudor vibe to the house, which Merlin had no doubt was genuine rather than a modern affectation. The house even smelt old – not in a mouldy ‘I’m about to fall down around your ears’ way like Merlin’s flat, but more a ‘this is five-hundred-year-old wood polish, you can’t even afford to look at it’ way. A large open staircase that looked like it shouldn’t be able to support itself took up a large part of the hall, and a big stained glass window let in the last rays of winter light.</p><p>To Merlin’s relief, however, Gwen didn’t lead him into some stuffy formal dining room with everyone dressed to the nines. Instead, she took him into a large but cosy old-fashioned kitchen with a big fireplace to warm them through and a simple oak table where a little girl was sitting colouring.</p><p>Standing over by the Aga, and of course they had an Aga, seemingly quite at home amid the pots and pans, was Arthur, wearing an apron, proclaiming him to be ‘World’s best Daddy’. </p><p>“We’re home!” Gwen said, dropping her bag on the floor and moving over to kiss the little girl. “Merlin, this is our daughter, Alicia. Lissy, this is Merlin, he works with Mummy and Daddy.” Merlin noticed that Gwen signed when she spoke.</p><p>The child looked up and said hello before narrowing her eyes. She lifted her hands and made signs at her mother. </p><p>Gwen laughed and signed again. “Yes, he’s the one who saved the kitten. You’ll have to use your words, I don’t think he knows how to sign.”</p><p>Merlin grinned and dropped down to Alicia’s level, holding out his hand a little awkwardly. “Guilty as charged.” He made sure to speak clearly, hoping the little girl could lipread. He vaguely remembered Gwen saying something once before about her daughter being deaf, but he’d forgotten about it till now.</p><p>“Is the kitten alright?” Alicia said, her speech only slightly reflecting her hearing loss. She signed the words as she spoke before shaking his hand very seriously as only a six-year-old can.</p><p>“Yes, she’s fine and back with her family now.” Merlin nodded, absently rubbing his neck where the rash still showed. </p><p>Alicia nodded. “I wish I had a cat.” She went back to her drawing and Merlin straightened up again.</p><p>Gwen smiled at him. “Liss had meningitis as a baby, worst time of my life. It impaired her hearing – she has a hearing aid and lip reads well so don’t be fooled into thinking she won’t know what you are saying. Uther always makes that mistake.” </p><p>Before long Gwen’s brother, Elyan, arrived bringing their father and another man called Lance.</p><p>“Hope you don’t mind, this one was moping about with nothing to do, and I know Arthur always makes too much food.” </p><p>Arthur shook his head. “The more the merrier. Your sister has brought a stray too. This is Merlin.”</p><p>Eventually the last guest, Morgana, arrived and the colouring books were cleared away so the table could be set. </p><p>Gwen was right, Arthur actually was a really good cook. Merlin had been expecting to get a really hard time from him about not eating the roast pork he’d made, but to his surprise Arthur hadn’t even mentioned it. Then again, Arthur had barely spoken to him since he’d had to pay out several thousand in charity donations after Merlin had dropped him in it on Boxing Day.</p><p>“So, Merlin, please do tell us why you decided to play a cat-cuddling superhero when you are, in fact, horribly allergic to cats?” Morgana was definitely smirking at him. </p><p>Alicia frowned and signed at her mother. </p><p>“Allergic means that something makes a person poorly, in Merlin’s case it’s cats,” Gwen said out loud as she signed back.</p><p>The child turned a wide-eyed stare on Merlin. “I want a cat for my birthday, but Daddy says I have to promise to clean up after it because he’s not going to.”</p><p>Arthur wrinkled his nose at her as he signed. “I’m not cleaning up cat mess and dead birds and mice.” </p><p>Merlin turned back to Alicia. “I love cats, but they bring me out in a rash.” He turned his head so she could see the red marks still visible on the side of his neck. “And if it gets really bad I have trouble breathing.”</p><p>“So, back to Morgana’s very good point,” Elyan said. “Why were you cuddling a cat?”</p><p>Merlin shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed. “I could hardly leave the poor little thing stuck up a tree. And what if those kids had gone and tried to rescue it themselves, and drowned or something?” Out of the corner of his eye he could see Arthur signing his words for Alicia.</p><p>Alicia shook her head. “Kids are better than groanies, they probably would have rescued the cat no problem.”</p><p>“Groanies?” Tom, Gwen’s dad, asked, looking appalled. “We’re getting called ‘groanies’ now?”</p><p>She nodded. “Because you’re <i>grown</i> ups, and you groan about everything. Groanies.” She rolled her eyes in a way she must have picked up from her father.</p><p>Tom shook his head in mock solemnity. “You wait, you’ll be a groany soon enough.”</p><p>Arthur looked like he couldn’t decide between bashing his head into the table and laughing, but his food was in the way which ruled out option one. </p><p>Merlin snorted, which then set Arthur off too. </p><p>“I spoke to Merlin’s Mum today,” Gwen said, picture of innocence. </p><p>Merlin stopped giggling and looked at her warily.</p><p>Gwen smiled. “Apparently it’s his birthday!”</p><p>Merlin winced. “I love my Mam, but she has a very big mouth sometimes.”</p><p>“Happy birthday!” Lance raised his glass to Merlin. </p><p>The rest of the table quickly copied him and Merlin offered a few awkward words of thanks and made a mental note to have words with his mother.</p><p>“How old?” Arthur asked, trapping Merlin in that blue stare of his that made it absolutely impossible to look away.</p><p>“Thirty-four.” </p><p>Blond eyebrows rose up Arthur’s forehead. “Seriously? I had you down for about twenty-six! Or maybe even twelve.”</p><p>“What’s the matter, Arthur, only a couple of years younger than you, is he too old for you now?” Morgana smirked again before letting out a yelp which quickly descended into what Merlin suspected was a kicking match between the siblings under the table.</p><p>Elyan shook his head from his seat opposite Merlin. “I’d like to tell you that you get used to them, but I’m not sure you do.”</p><p>“Any idea what all that is about?” Merlin asked.</p><p>Elyan shook his head again. “I usually find it’s safer not to ask. I just stick to plants, they don’t answer back.”</p><p>“Plants?” </p><p>Elyan nodded. “I’m a botanist. Lance and I work in conservation. Lance is an Entomologist, very into bees.”</p><p>“Sounds interesting, are you going to save the world?”</p><p>Elyan shrugged and looked over at Lance. “We’re trying. We’re both taking part in the London Marathon in April to raise money for Save the Bees. Arthur is running too, for the National Deaf Children Society.”</p><p>“Please don’t get those two started on bees,” Tom said with a roll of his eyes. “And don’t get any of them started on running marathons. This is all we heard about all Christmas.”</p><p>“Lance is—”</p><p>Gwen sighed dramatically. “If I didn’t know you were not so secretly pining after Ellie I’d think you and Lance were in love.”</p><p>Poor Lance was blushing now. “I am here, you know. And two people are allowed to be friends and have shared interests without fancying each other.”</p><p>“Uncle Elyan has a boyfriend,” Alicia sang out. </p><p>“Got to be better than Elyan and Elena, that would just get too confusing,” Gwen said. “It would be like if I went out with Gwaine, Gwen and Gwaine, oh hell no.”</p><p>“I have to wonder sometimes why I put up with you lot,” Elyan gave a good natured laugh that made Merlin think they’d wound him up about this so many times in the past that it ceased to sting anymore. “Lance, mate, I’m so sorry I brought you here to meet these horrible horrible people.”</p><p>Lance shrugged and grinned, his gaze falling on Gwen as he said, “Oh, being here has its advantages.” </p><p>Gwen giggled and looked down at her plate.</p><p>“So, Merlin, are you regretting leaving Wales yet?” Morgana smirked at him from across the table.</p><p>Merlin considered the question. Despite spending his birthday with hot eyes and a cat rash, and despite the miserable little bedsit waiting for him, his answer might actually be no. For the first time since moving here, he wasn’t regretting it.</p><p>“Oh definitely,” he said as seriously as he could. “You English are all weird.”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>both the kitten and I survived! <span class="x1F63A"><span class="hide">(Smiling Cat Face With Open Mouth )</span></span>  Thank you all for your concern, and thanks for the birthday wishes! Mam, you really shouldn't go around telling everyone it's my birthday. The wonderful Ms Lyons took me home and fed me because she's an angel and I am apparently a stray dog.</p><p>
      <br/>
<span>#flood #nemeth #cats #merlinsurvives</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3.6k <span class="twTime"> 10:06 AM • Jan 1, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>2.4k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><br/><hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Multi-coloured Swap Shop</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>“You want me to go where now?” It wasn’t April yet, and Agravaine didn't strike him as the sort of person who believed in jokes anyway.</p><p>“The Shalott Cats and Dogs home.” Agravaine didn’t even blink.</p><p>“Cats,” Merlin said again. “You were there the other week, weren’t you, when I proved to the nation that I’m really allergic to cats? And that was just one little tiny one.”</p><p>Agravaine waved a dismissive hand. “So we’ll dose you up on antihistamines before you go in.”</p><p>“I can’t go in at all! One little cat, one! What would a whole building full do to me? It affects my breathing, my eyes, my skin. There are other reporters you know, why can’t you send Mordred?”</p><p>“Mordred doesn’t like dogs. And before you suggest it, Floridel is in Newcastle, Mary is in Aberdeen and Ethan is in Bournemouth. No one else is available. Besides, do you have any idea how many concerned phone calls we got last time? You nearly dying got us great viewing figures.” Agravaine smiled and clapped Merlin on the back.</p><p>“Nearly dying? It wasn’t that bad!”</p><p>“Well, then it won’t be a problem, will it?”</p><p>“I won’t do it. You’re supposed to care about your staff and not put them at risk or exploit them!”</p><p>The smile drained off Agravaine’s face and the hand on Merlin’s shoulder tightened. “Well then, it’s a shame your trial period with us was unsuccessful. I dare say you might still be able to get some work back in Wales.”</p><p>“Are you seriously threatening me with the sack just because I won’t do something that will make me ill?”</p><p>The oily smile was back on Agravaine’s face. “For me to sack you, you would need a permanent contract. I am merely suggesting that as you are on a six month probationary period, your contract is unlikely to be renewed if you prove to be uncooperative.”</p><p>Merlin blinked at him. As much as he missed his job and his friends and his flat back in Cardiff, as much as he missed hearing people talking with proper accents and being able to easily go and visit his Mam, he couldn’t face the idea of going home with his tail between his legs. Who was to say that he would even be able to get his job back? Gaius had filled the position already. And as for his flat, he’d left that to Edwin, and there was no way on earth he was going back to Edwin.</p><p>“Fine,” he said to Agravaine. “I’ll go, but I’m not spending too long in with the cats, I’m not picking them up, and you are paying for the antihistamine.”</p><p>If Agravaine finished up the day with a boil on his bum, he never mentioned it.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Trying to conduct research into Shalott Cats and Dogs Home would have been easier if someone hadn’t tipped a bag of knitwear over his head.</p><p>“Whu—” He sat up and pulled a bobble hat off his face.</p><p>Arthur dropped a now empty paper bag onto the hats now littering Merlin’s desk – well, technically Leon’s desk but he wasn’t there so for today it was Merlin’s – and folded his arms.</p><p>“What did you do that for!”  Merlin looked at the mess his carefully compiled notes were in.</p><p>“I brought you your fanmail, I thought you’d be pleased.”</p><p>“Bobble hats?” Merlin picked a few up. A lot of them looked handknitted, some even looked brand new shop bought, and every single one of them was brightly coloured with a pompom on top. </p><p>Arthur nodded. “The publicity department has been inundated with them ever since your little swim when your mother made you wear one. I’m guessing you have quite the granny following. And now, of course, you appear to have contrived another little expedition to make people feel sorry for you.”</p><p>“What on earth are you blethering on about?”</p><p>“A little bird tells me that you are off to visit the cat sanctuary tomorrow. Despite the fact that barely a week ago you had every mother in the country phoning in thinking you’d died from an allergy.”</p><p>“I’m not allergic to mothers.”</p><p>Arthur picked up one of the hats and hit Merlin over the head with it.</p><p>“You know, this is a serious news programme, not just somewhere you can show off and make yourself look tragic to make your fans feel sorry for you. If you just want to do jokey reporting, why don’t you fuck off to <i>Good Morning Albion</i> or something.” Arthur did actually look a little pissed off and Merlin wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve it.</p><p>“Hey! It’s not like I asked to get sent on a story that’s quite probably going to make me ill.” He folded his arms across his chest and glared at Arthur. “I keep submitting story ideas, and they always either get turned down or given to someone else. My story about Dame Helena is going nowhere fast, and it’s not the only one I have. I have loads of research ready to go about the Wiccans.”</p><p>Arthur actually sneered at him. “I believe I said <i>serious</i> news, not bloody hippies. You might as well get used to the idea right now that my Father is never going to agree to any story about witchcraft – my mother was into all that nonsense and he hated it.”</p><p>“It is a serious story! Morgana agrees with me, and surely we should represent a wider audience?”</p><p>Arthur rolled his eyes. “I told you, this will not get reported by Pendragon Media. Now, why don’t you do what we are paying you for and go out and find some proper stories to report on that don’t result in hundreds of grannies knitting you hats and phoning in to check on you. If you can’t do that, then I’m sure Cenred has a place for you with your friend Valiant.”</p><p>Arthur walked off without even looking back at Merlin. If he tripped on his way out of the room, it had absolutely nothing to do with Merlin.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Off to the Shallott Cats and Dogs home! </p><p><span class="x1F640"><span class="hide">(Weary Cat Face )</span></span> <span class="x1F436"><span class="hide">(Dog Face )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#shallott #cats #dogs</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 364 <span class="twTime"> 7:19 AM • Jan 17, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>15 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><br/><p>The cats and dogs home was horrible.</p><p>First, there was the smell, which was only to be expected but still… yeah.</p><p>Then there was the noise. As soon as they walked in, every puppy in the kennel started whining and barking to get their attention. This broke both Merlin’s ears and his heart and he couldn’t stay in there. Gwaine was a great sound engineer, but he’d have been lucky to get any usable sound from in there.</p><p>The kittens weren’t much better. How could something so small make so much noise? He wanted to pick them all up and cuddle them, but of course he couldn’t so he was stuck with big eyes following him and mewing.</p><p>Then there were the animals that had been maltreated. The ones who were abandoned were bad enough, but the dog with more than half his fur missing and a broken leg, or the cat with only one eye… Merlin wanted to find the people who did that and let them know exactly how it felt. </p><p>A whole litter of kittens had been found abandoned in a box down by the canal. How could anyone not want kittens? The beautiful little balls of fluff with their big blue eyes and their fierce little claws. Surely he could just sneak away with a kitten or two in his pocket? He didn’t need non-burning eyes and itch-free skin, and breathing was probably just really overrated. And maybe he’d get lucky and these would be the kittens he wasn’t allergic to. Or he could sneak away a puppy, he wasn’t allergic to dogs, he could get one of those adorable floppy little black labradors, or maybe two, because one would get lonely… </p><p>A soft-hearted fool like Merlin was the worst possible person to send to such a place; he wanted to take every single one of them home with him. Cat allergy and horrible working schedule aside, his horrible little flat didn’t allow pets, and even if it did, no pet deserved to have to live in that shithole.</p><p>“Don’t worry, the kittens and puppies will all find a good home, especially after people see your report.” Freya, the head keeper who was doing the interview, picked up the one-eyed black and white cat from earlier and held her up to the camera while Merlin resisted the urge to take a step back. “It’s the older animals we struggle to find homes for. Mabel here has kidney problems and can’t really leave the sanctuary. Some of our residents are quite poorly, and we would gratefully accept any donations to help with their care. Others just want a good home and someone to love them.” </p><p>With the interview concluded, with Freya urging people to think before getting a pet, and to always check they came from an ethical supplier. Merlin made a break for the fresh air, his eyes already itching from so many cats.</p><p>He found himself in some sort of exercise yard, blessedly free of both people and animals. There was a low wall running around the edge and a sharp drop below. Merlin made his way over and sank down onto the wall, resisting the urge to rub his eyes in case he had cat dander on them. Gwaine and Percy were no doubt sorting out the equipment, he had a few minutes to appreciate fresh air before heading back to the studio.</p><p>When he was a kid he’d tried to cast a spell that stopped him being allergic to cats; it had been a disaster. Every cat in the village hadn’t been able to come within a ten mile radius, and it had taken Balinor weeks to sort out, let alone explain away. After another experiment in his twenties seemed to have actually made his allergy worse, he’d been wary of trying again.</p><p>A low growl made him look up. An enormous dog, with a light tan coat and a dark face, was standing far too close for comfort, sharp teeth bared in a threatening snarl.</p><p>“Oh shit.” How do you appear non-threatening around big dogs? This monster hadn’t been there just now, where the hell had it come from?</p><p>The dog walked towards him menacingly, still emitting a rumble like a world war two bomber. ‘Don’t show fear’ he kept saying in his head, even as the threat of falling off the wall stopped him backing away. He scooted sideways down the wall, fairly sure his days were numbered – this dog was huge and could probably swallow him whole. He’d be like Jonah in the whale, only in a dog.</p><p>Then, in a sudden change of tack, the dog suddenly flopped down next to him and rested its fearsome maw on his knee. When Merlin failed to respond with more than a squeak, it looked at him out of the corner of its eye and twitched an ear as if to say, ‘well come on then’. So Merlin, at great risk to his hand, reached out and petted the massive head.</p><p>The dog was surprisingly soft for a creature he had been sure was about to eat him seconds ago. It gave what Merlin could only describe as a contented huff and closed its eyes.</p><p>“Look at you, pretending to be all big and scary when all you want is someone to make a fuss of you.” The dog huffed again and tried to push its head further under Merlin’s hand. “You remind me of someone I work with, he pretends to be all grouchy and mean too but he’s also a big softy. But you’re far more beautiful aren’t you? Yes you are, you’re more beautiful than silly old grumpy Arthur, because Arthur is a prat.”</p><p>“Kilgharrah?” A man’s voice called out from a little way away. “Here boy, where are you?”</p><p>“Is that you? Are you Kilgharrah?” Merlin asked the dog, who opened his eyes and huffed again, nudging Merlin’s hand to remind him to keep stroking.</p><p>“Kilgharrah?” The voice was getting closer and sounded a little worried now. “Come on, you old bastard, if you go off and bite one of the film crew they’ll blame me.”</p><p>“Aww, you wouldn’t bite any of us, would you?” Merlin said to the dog, hoping he was right. “I mean, if Val still worked with us, that would be different, who could blame you. Except he really wouldn’t taste very nice, and you might catch something nasty.”</p><p>“Kil— uh-oh.” The man, who seemed to be wearing some sort of padded suit, finally rounded the corner. Tyr, that was his name, from the kennels earlier. He was quite short and rotund but he had a kindly face that currently looked petrified. To be fair, Kilgharrah was no longer sitting contentedly with his head on Merlin’s knee, and was now facing Tyr and growling again. “Um, don’t make any sudden movements!” he called out to Merlin. “He’s a lovely giant puppy dog really!”</p><p>Kilgharrah snarled at poor Tyr as he tried to move closer.</p><p>“Shit!” Tyr took a step back. “Go and get Freya!” he hissed to someone round the corner. “Quick, tell her Kilgharrah has one of the film crew!”</p><p>“It’s ok,” Merlin called out. “He’s not going to hurt me.” He hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.</p><p>Quite a small crowd was gathering at the other side of the yard now, including Percy and Gwaine, who were, of course, filming the entire thing. Great, Arthur was definitely going to think Merlin was attention seeking now.</p><p>The more people that arrived in the courtyard, the more panicked Kilgharrah seemed to get and he let out a loud bark. Merlin put a gentle hand on the dog’s back. “It’s ok, boy, no one’s going to hurt you.” Kilgharrah quietened down a little, but he stayed glaring at Tyr, hackles raised.</p><p>“What’s going on?” The keeper Merlin had interviewed earlier, Freya, came into the yard. She looked at the crowd then over at Merlin. “Oh dear.”</p><p>“I tried going in, he didn’t like it,” Tyr said, wringing his hands.</p><p>“Merlin, are you alright?” Freya called.</p><p>“I’m fine,” he responded. “I really don’t think he’s going to hurt me. He was quite happy before so many people showed up.”</p><p>Freya looked surprised. “He doesn’t usually like strangers, particularly men. I think a former male owner must have treated him very badly.” She turned to the large crowd gathering. “Ok you lot, out! You’re upsetting Killy.”</p><p>“He’s been ok with me so far. Maybe he thinks I’m a big kid.” Merlin reached out and patted Kilgharrah on the head. There was a collective intake of breath from the otherside of the yard, where absolutely no one had left as instructed. The dog turned to Merlin and put his giant paws up on his knee, nearly knocking him backwards off the wall causing more worried muttering from the onlookers. Kilgharrah was now taller than Merlin, and ok, perhaps he should worry.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Over Kilgharrah’s shoulder, Merlin couldn’t help noticing with horror that Freya was being handed a tranquiliser gun. Fortunately, Freya frowned and shook her head. </p><p>“Are you trying to frighten everyone, Killy?” she called to the dog as she started to inch forward. “I’m not buying it, mate, I’ve seen you roll over to get your tummy scratched. Come on, don’t give me no choice here, I don’t want them to tranq you.”</p><p>And then, Kilgharrah wuffed, looked at Merlin and licked him right down the side of his face. </p><p>It was slobbery and disgusting and he could hear Gwaine laughing. </p><p>Freya breathed out a sigh of relief. “I think he likes you.” She slowly made her way over. “Hey there, Killy,” she said, gently placing a hand on the dog’s head as she clipped a leash onto his collar. “What are you doing out and about scaring people, huh?”</p><p>Merlin could swear the dog looked like he was laughing, his big tongue hanging out of his slobbery mouth.</p><p>“You can’t keep doing this, old boy.” Freya ruffled the dog’s head. “The powers that be already don’t want me keeping you, if you go around attacking celebrities I won’t be able to save you.” </p><p>Kilgharrah dropped down and rolled over with his legs in the air, tongue still lolling as Freya gave him a tummy rub.</p><p>Several thoughts ran through Merlin’s head at once, starting with ‘he didn’t attack me’, coursing through ‘I’m not a celebrity’ and finishing with ‘what does she mean, save him?’.</p><p>“Save him?”</p><p>Freya smiled sadly at him. “Like I said before, people want the cute puppies and kittens, not some old duffer like Kilgharrah with arthritis and a tendency to growl at anyone who comes near. There are some lists that have Boerboels down as dangerous dogs, which is preposterous because he’s a sweetheart, but it’s enough to make people wary of him.” She indicated the people still standing over by the entrance to the yard. “And he can be, you know? If he doesn’t like someone.”</p><p>“Boerboel?” It sounded like something you’d hang on a Christmas tree. “Is that the breed he is?”</p><p>She nodded. “Yes, South African Mastiff. My boss doesn’t like him. Well, to be fair, Killy doesn’t like my boss and lets him know it. If your station puts out a video of him looking like he’s attacking you, there will be nothing I can do.”</p><p>“You think he’ll send Kilgharrah away?”</p><p>She bit her lip. “I hope that’s all. If he gets listed as dangerous, then it could be worse.”</p><p>Merlin looked down at the trusting brown eyes. It really wasn’t Kilgharrah’s fault he wasn’t an adorable little puppy any more. “He wasn’t going to hurt me, he just wanted someone to make a fuss of him, same as with the little dogs.”</p><p>Freya nodded. “I know. He looks intimidating, he sounds intimidating, but it’s just an act. I need someone to come and adopt him, give him a good life.”</p><p>Merlin stared down at the dog. “My Mam has a farm…”</p><p>And that is basically the story of how Merlin became the proud owner of a dog that was nearly as big as his flat. Not that he’d have the flat much longer.</p><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Survived again! Seem to have acquired a teeny tiny little doggo</p><p>
      <br/>
<span>#shallott #dogs #kilgharrah #merlinsurvives</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3k <span class="twTime"> 9:15 AM • Jan 17, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>150 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Lying on the office floor amidst everything he owned, Merlin resisted the urge to headbutt the desk, looking sideways instead at his new roommate. </p><p>“Why did you do this to me? I gave you a home, I fed you…”</p><p>A cold wet nose knocked against the side of his neck and a deep ‘whuff’ was given in response. He chose to believe that was Kilgharrah saying ‘sorry’.</p><p>Merlin sighed and sat up. Thankfully no one but him ever seemed to use this office on a Tuesday, and with a bit of luck he could find a new place to live before anyone else came in. </p><p>Attempting to shake off his ennui, he got up and rolled up his sleeping bag before grabbing a towel, his washbag and a change of clothes. “Now, you behave while I’m gone, I won’t be long,” he said to the dog.</p><p>It was still early, even for <i>Wake Up</i>, and he managed to sneak into the executive washroom, which had a shower, and back without being caught. The canteen wasn’t open yet, so his hopes of breakfast were dashed. He had some tins of dog food for Kilgharrah, and the smell of those was enough to put him off eating anyway.</p><p>He logged into the computer and googled lettings in the nearby area. It didn’t take long for despair to overtake him again as anything that came up in his price range proved to be even worse than the flat he’d just been kicked out of, and none of them would let him keep a dog the size of a baby elephant. </p><p>He glanced back at Kilgharrah, who didn’t look even slightly guilt ridden at having destroyed most of the flat while Merlin was at work yesterday. He had also apparently barked loudly at ‘Yeah Babe’ and ‘Yes Davy’ in the flat upstairs, which Merlin rather thought served them right. By the time Merlin got home on Monday, the landlord had been waiting for him, and as soon as he saw the state of the flat they’d been done for. They’d spent the night camped out in the office, and Merlin had to perform a quick air-freshening charm to get rid of the smell of dog.</p><p>Evidently feeling the weight of Merlin’s disappointment in him, whilst still managing to look like he was laughing, Kilgharrah moved to sit under the desk with his head resting on Merlin’s knee, gazing up at him with an expression that said he invented the word ‘hangdog’.</p><p>“Alright, old boy, don’t worry, I’m looking, I’ll find us a place to live.” He hoped he was right.</p><p>Merlin eyed the mess of cups and post-it notes next to the computer and considered going and washing them. Afterall, it was bad enough that he was sleeping in here, and his dog, the least he could do was finally clean up after himself.</p><p>His gaze landed on the photograph of the little girl on the desk and he sat back up. That was Gwen’s daughter, Alicia, he thought he’d recognised her. Gwen’s desk was definitely out in the main department with everyone else’s though, he’d sat opposite her and chatted enough times while he’d been hot desking. He was pretty sure Arthur’s desk was out there too, he was always there, chatting away to one person or another. </p><p>That left Uther or Agravaine, either of whom could conceivably have a picture of his granddaughter/niece on his desk. But Uther’s office was the really big corner office with the fantastic view that he’d been called into after the whole Valiant fiasco. And whoever had written those notes was someone with a sense of humour, which ruled out both Uther and Arthur. Surely he hadn’t been conversing with Agravaine, the Professor Snape of <i>Wake Up Camelot</i>?</p><p>Almost as though thinking about them summoned them to him, the door opened and both male Pendragons walked in, thankfully without Agravaine himself.</p><p>“Oh, Merlin, you’re in early.” Arthur briefly frowned at Merlin’s bags piled in the corner. </p><p>“Um, sorry, there’s usually no one in here on a Tuesday,” Merlin said, panic racing through him. He was going to be found out now, there was no way he wouldn’t be.</p><p>“We need this office,” Arthur said, raising an eyebrow. “Father’s office is being set up for an important meeting, we won’t be long.”</p><p>“Honestly, Arthur, this is your office, even if you do never use it, you don’t need to apologise to an intern.” Uther shook his head, frowning.</p><p>Merlin’s cheeks heated at being called an intern, but with his duvet and clothes tucked away in the corner and his dog hidden under the desk, he didn’t really feel in a position to argue. </p><p>He stood, mentally pleading with Kilgharrah to behave himself if he left him in the room alone and futilely hoping that the dog could read his mind, or indeed somehow make himself invisible.</p><p>He went and sat down in the break room, waiting for the screaming to start when Kilgharrah tried to eat them.</p><p>“Merlin, are you alright?” Gwen was over by the kettle holding a steaming mug of tea. </p><p>“Fine.” He spared her a brief smile before turning back towards the offices.</p><p>“Here.” She pressed the tea into his hand. “You look like you need this more than I do.” </p><p>“Thanks. I don’t suppose it’s magic miracle tea that will reverse every bad decision I ever made, is it?”</p><p>“All tea is magic, Merlin, it cures the worries of the world. So, are you going to tell me what’s so wrong?”</p><p>He sighed and turned back towards her.</p><p>“I rather stupidly agreed to take on a dog, a really really big dog, when I live in a tiny crappy apartment that doesn’t allow pets. And now I’m homeless and about to get fired.”</p><p>Gwen nodded. “Yes, I saw the piece you did at the dogs home. I thought you were going to get mauled.”</p><p>Merlin laughed, even though there was nothing funny at all to laugh about. “Yeah, no. The dog spent the weekend barking down the entire block of flats, and yesterday he trashed the flat while I was at work. And now we are homeless, and we had to spend the night here. And Uther and Arthur are in the same room as Kilgharrah and they don’t know it, and he might genuinely eat them.” He finished his rant and stared morosely into the depths of the tea. </p><p>“So, just let me get this straight,” Gwen said, eyes wide. “There is a really big, possibly vicious, dog, who doesn’t really like any man in the world except you, in Arthur’s office, where he is currently in a meeting with his Father, and you didn’t bother to let either of them know?”</p><p>“Yup,” Merlin said into the cup of tea. “But I don’t think he’ll hurt them, he’s a big softie really.”</p><p>Gwen opened her mouth, but whatever she was about to say was halted by the sound of Uther shouting orders at George as he went through editorial and left via the lift. Merlin and Gwen looked at each other and then back in the general direction of Arthur’s office. </p><p>“MERLIN!” Arthur bellowed.</p><p>Merlin gulped. “It was nice knowing you,” he said to Gwen.</p><p>She looked at him for a moment. “Oh to hell with that, I’m not missing this.”</p><p>She stood up and pulled him towards Arthur’s office. </p><p>“Gwen, I don’t think…”</p><p>“No, probably best not to.” She patted his arm but didn’t let go.</p><p>Arthur stood at the door with his arms folded, glaring down the corridor. The effect was somewhat ruined by the large dog butting at his arm trying to get attention like an overgrown puppy.</p><p>“I see you’ve brought back-up, ” Arthur rolled his eyes. “Don’t think Gwen is going to save you.”</p><p>“I can explain!” He really couldn’t.</p><p>“Oh I see, you can explain. You can explain why my Father thinks I am now suffering from a bad cough and terrible flatulence and has banned me from the big meeting about the new quiz show?”</p><p>Merlin met Arthur's eyes and opened his mouth to apologise when suddenly the most terrible thing started bubbling up from his chest. He couldn’t stop it, a picture formed in his mind of Arthur trying to cover up the fact there was a growling, farting dog under his desk… and Merlin suddenly made a loud snorting noise that he wished he could blame on the dog.</p><p>Arthur looked outraged.</p><p>Merlin really tried to keep a straight face, but then he caught Gwen’s eye, and suddenly they were both giggling uncontrollably.</p><p>“This is not funny!” Arthur actually stamped his foot, which only made Merlin and Gwen laugh harder. </p><p>Kilgharrah butted Arthur’s hand again until he gave up and reached down to stroke the dog’s head. “Care to tell me why there is a dog in my office? And why it looks like a tramp is sleeping in here?”</p><p>Merlin hiccoughed as he tried to force himself to stop laughing. The actual seriousness of the situation forced its way through as he explained he’d just been kicked out of his flat and was, in fact, homeless, and about to be jobless.</p><p>Arthur frowned. “Why on earth did you take on a dog, let alone one that size, if you had nowhere to keep it?”</p><p>“I was planning on taking him to Mam’s. She lives on a farm and there is loads of room and she loves dogs, but she can’t take him yet because Will’s hurt his back and she’s running the farm on her own. But I couldn’t leave him in the dog pound, what if they’d decided to have him put down?”</p><p>Arthur’s hand momentarily stilled on Kil’s head. “Well no, we couldn’t have that.”</p><p>“So… is he dangerous?” Gwen asked, eyeing the dog warily. Both men looked at her like she’d just accused their mothers of being axe murderers. She raised her hands. “I’m just asking. All those people at the shelter on Friday seemed to think he was dangerous.”</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “I honestly don’t think he’d harm anyone. Freya, the head keeper at the kennels, said he’s mostly harmless so long as he knows and trusts the people he’s with.” </p><p>“He seems to have taken a shine to Arthur,” Gwen said, eyeing the way Arthur had dropped down on his knees to make a fuss of the dog the moment Merlin had said Kilgharah had been ill treated. “No accounting for taste I suppose.”</p><p>Merlin grinned. “Well, I guess they bonded over their terrible flatulence.”</p><p>“Hey! That wasn’t me, it was the dog!”</p><p>“That’s what they all say,” Gwen replied with a completely straight face for all of five seconds before she started laughing again.</p><p>“So, what are you going to do?” Arthur asked.</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “I have absolutely no idea. I mean, the flat was a shitehole, but it was a roof over our heads. And a dog like Kil, well, he needs attention and exercise. Keeping him in a small flat in the middle of the city while I’m at work was never a plan. I’ll have to see if I can find a home for him.” A strange pang went through him as he thought about giving away the dog, even though he’d only had him for a couple of days.</p><p>“Would he be safe around children?” Gwen asked, biting her lip and shaking her head as soon as the words were out. “No, never mind, it was a stupid question.”</p><p>Merlin looked down at Kilgharrah. “Freya said she brought her nephew in once and Kil followed him around the whole day. I think dogs like this have some sort of protective instinct, they were literally bred to protect their owners and families from danger.”</p><p>He looked at the thoughtful expression on Gwen’s face and then over at the way Arthur was still making a fuss of Kilgharrah. They had a big house, he recalled from dinner the other week, and a big garden. And they lived in a relatively rural area rather than the middle of the city, so they could easily take a dog out for long walks… “I don’t suppose you two want a dog, do you?” </p><p>Arthur looked up at the suggestion, a strange light in his eyes as he looked hopefully between Gwen and Merlin like a small boy who’d just been promised a puppy for Christmas. </p><p>Gwen rolled her eyes. “You can probably tell, but Arthur loves dogs and has been suggesting we get one for ages.”</p><p>“He would be a wonderful guard dog. I’m sure you wouldn’t regret it.” </p><p>“I’m just worried about Alicia,” Gwen said. “I mean, Arthur and I work opposite days, so most of the time there’s someone home to look after a dog, and on days like today when we’re both here, my Dad would probably be happy to check on him too, but I can’t risk my daughter’s safety.”</p><p>“You could just take him home for the afternoon and see how they got on….” Merlin really didn’t think Kilgharrah would hurt anyone, but he did understand where Gwen was coming from.</p><p>Gwen looked back at Kilgharrah, who was now lying on his back with his legs in the air so Arthur could pat his tummy. “You know the moment Alicia sees him she’ll side with her dopey father, don’t you?”</p><p>Arthur looked up at her. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly, look at him!” He turned back to Kilgharrah. “You wouldn’t hurt anyone, would you? You’re a good boy, yes you are.” Kilgharrah lifted his head and tried to lick Arthur’s face.</p><p>Gwen shook her head and sighed. “I think I’m fighting a losing battle here.”</p><p>“So, you’ll take him?” Merlin looked at her hopefully. It was clear who would be making the final decision here.</p><p>Gwen looked back at Arthur and nodded. “But only for a trial period! If I think I can’t trust him with Alicia, or if she’s scared of him in any way, then he can’t stay. Alicia is my priority.”</p><p>“Thank you!” Merlin had wrapped her in a hug before he realised that he probably shouldn’t. “Um, sorry. That’s probably harassment and inappropriate touching isn’t it? I didn’t mean anything by it! I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“It’s fine, Merlin. I can tell the difference between a friendly hug and an inappropriate one, and I’d hardly call you a predator.” She laughed and hugged him back. “So, what about you?”</p><p>“Me?” Merlin frowned, unsure what she was referring to. She was senior to him, did she think she shouldn’t hug him?  </p><p>“Where are you going to live? You can’t keep sleeping in the office. Uther’s not daft, he will find out eventually.”</p><p>Merlin shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t really know. I can’t go back to my old place, even without the dog. Not really sure I’d want to anyway. I guess I’ll find a B&amp;B or something for the moment.”</p><p>Gwen looked at Arthur and raised her eyebrows. Some sort of silent communication was clearly taking place because Arthur shook his head.</p><p>Gwen looked back at Merlin. “We have a spare room.”</p><p>“Gwen…” Arthur started to say.</p><p>“No, Arthur. You’re willing to give a home to a dog, and leave your colleague with nowhere to sleep tonight? We have plenty of space, why not put Merlin up till he gets back on his feet? You can’t just take his dog and then abandon him. If you want the dog, you take the owner.”</p><p>“It’s fine, really, I don’t want to cause any trouble.” As nice as it sounded, having a proper bed to sleep in and staying in Arthur’s huge posh house, he really wasn’t sure he wanted to stay with the couple when, if he was honest, he really fancied one half of said couple. And that half clearly didn’t want him there</p><p>Gwen smiled. “I insist. Both you and Kilgharrah can come and stay with us for a bit. It’ll be fun!”</p><p>Arthur sighed and nodded. “Fine, but he has to do the washing up. I won't have mouldy coffee cups piling up at home like he does at work. Especially ones that look like Cenred.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Merlin was too stressed to get much work done, so he sat on an old sofa out of the way backstage and watched Gwen and Arthur host the morning’s show instead. It wasn’t often the two of them were on air together these days, but they were a brilliant team.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
He wasn’t sure when he’d actually fallen asleep, but a hand on his shoulder made him jerk into wakefulness. </p><p>“Come on, let’s get you home.” Arthur actually looked sympathetic. “Gwen’s Dad has Alicia today, but I need to go and do some stuff at home before I pick her up. I’ll help you carry your stuff down to the car.”</p><p>Merlin glanced around, trying not to yawn. “Where’s Gwen?”</p><p>Arthur laughed. “You really were asleep, weren’t you? The show finished nearly an hour ago. Gwen’s hosting <i>Girl Talk</i> at midday. We don’t usually work the same schedule so one of us is always home for Alicia, but Leon’s got the week off so I’m standing in.”</p><p>Merlin nodded, still feeling woolly headed.</p><p>Kilgharrah was still in what Merlin now realised was Arthur’s office, and he actually seemed to be almost behaving himself for once. Most people backed away as they walked through Editorial, Kilgharrah giving a low rumbling warning growl as he went. Mordred took one look, went white as a sheet and practically fell over himself to run out the door. It really was a miracle really that the dog had taken so well to Arthur because he didn’t seem to like anyone else. </p><p>Of course, not everyone was so easily deterred. </p><p>“Oh! Pupper! Isn’t he adorable!” Elena exclaimed as she met them on their way out to the car. “Hello beautiful, what’s your name then?”</p><p>Merlin quickly put a warning hand on Kilgharrah’s back and held out the other hand to stop Elena. Then he carefully introduced her to the dog as Freya had shown him.</p><p>“Kil, this is Elena, she’s a friend,” he said as he beckoned her slowly forward. He looked up at her. “He’ll be fine with you so long as he knows you’re not invading his territory. Just let him smell your hand and get used to you before you try to pet him.”</p><p>It really didn’t take long for Kilgharrah to revert to overgrown puppy phase as he allowed Elena to make a fuss of him and then bathed her in dog spit as he proceeded to lick her face. Elena didn’t seem to mind at all so they left her with Kilgharrah while they loaded Merlin’s belongings into the car. Merlin almost thought they were going to have to fight her to get him back.</p><p>Merlin fell asleep as soon as the car pulled away, leaving Kilgharrah to make the journey with his head sticking out of the car window.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
This bed was a very nice bed. The most comfortable bed ever. In fact, he might just never get up again, stuff work and to hell with food. Except to pee, obviously.</p><p>But then, there was the ensuite. Nothing like the grotty little shower in his old flat, with the clunking plumbing and the permanent un-scrub-off-able mould, rust, and other questionable stains, where you had to either stand in the shower or astride cracked loo seat to reach the sink. No, this was a gleaming tiled room, with a shower from the year 3000 that you probably needed a degree in showerology to understand, and a shining white loo that wouldn’t try to pitch him off if he moved wrong.</p><p>The smell of fresh coffee finally lured Merlin down stairs.</p><p>He still wasn’t really sure this was a good idea. It was lovely of Gwen to offer him a place to stay in her fabulous house, but she was completely unaware of just how attracted Merlin was to her husband. Not husband – boyfriend? Partner? </p><p>Either way, they had a kid together, and Merlin was just a terrible human being lusting after the taken straight boyfriend of the person who just stopped him being homeless.</p><p>Yes, remember that – Gwen was the nicest person on the planet. It didn’t matter that Arthur would never look twice, Merlin was not going to betray her even in his head. Arthur was a prat, plain and simple. And Merlin absolutely did not fancy him.</p><p>He’d start looking for a flat straight away. </p><p>He walked into the big kitchen to find Arthur and Alicia sitting at the table doing homework while Kilgharrah stretched out on the rug in front of the fire.</p><p>“Ah, Ianto, awake at last. Alicia and I took your dog for a walk, you’re welcome.”</p><p>Alicia rolled her eyes. “Daddy, his name’s Merlin, silly.”</p><p>Merlin nodded. “Yes, what she said. Name’s Merlin. Thanks for taking Kil out, I fell asleep, sorry, didn’t mean to. That bed is really comfortable”</p><p>Arthur grinned, his blue eyes twinkling in a way Merlin did his best to ignore. “More comfortable than the floor of my office? You don’t say. Gwen will be home soon, what does everyone want to eat tonight?” </p><p>“Oh, you don’t need to feed me!” Merlin said, feeling guilty for putting Arthur out, even as his stomach gave a loud rumble at the mention of food.</p><p>Arthur snorted. “Yeah, right, sounds like it.” He signed something at Alicia then turned back to Merlin but kept signing. “It’s ok, we can do veggie food, can’t we Lissy?”</p><p>Alicia nodded. “Daddy makes the best curries.”</p><p>Arthur stood up. “Curry it is. Extra hot for Miss Alicia.”</p><p>“No, Daddy!” She put her hands on her hips and gave an exaggerated frown.</p><p>“No? You don’t want extra chilli in yours? Put hairs on your chest?”</p><p>Alicia gave a dramatic sigh. “Daaddddddy!” She executed a series of very fast hand gestures that Merlin would never have been able to follow even if he knew sign language.</p><p>Arthur laughed. “Ok, hotter than the sun for Miss Alicia. Merlin, any preferences?”</p><p>“Oh, um, Whatever’s going is fine. Do you need a hand?” Merlin wasn’t the world’s best chef, but Hunith had made sure he could do the basics.</p><p>“It’s fine, I have it under control. Maybe you can help Alicia with her homework.”</p><p>“I don’t need help, I’m top of my class.”</p><p>“Maybe you could teach me some sign language?” Merlin suggested.</p><p>Alicia turned out to be a hard task master and Merlin actually managed to learn to sign his own name before he heard a key in the front door.</p><p>“Something smells good!” Gwen stuck her head around the door and gave an exaggerated sniff. </p><p>“Mummy!” Alicia jumped up and ran over to Gwen as she walked into the room. “Daddy brought an enormous dog home! We took him to the park and threw a ball for him. Oh, and Merlin’s here, and I’m teaching him to sign.”</p><p>As though sensing he was being talked about, Kilgharrah, who had barely acknowledged Merlin’s presence, came over to investigate the newcomer. </p><p>“Do you like the new dog?” Gwen sounded a little anxious as she crouched down to Alicia’s level. “He’s not too scary?”</p><p>“I <i>love</i> him! Can we keep him, Mummy? Pleeeease?” Alicia threw her arms around Kilgharrah’s neck.</p><p>Gwen laughed. “Well, he is technically Merlin’s dog.”</p><p>Alicia shrugged. “We can keep Merlin too, I don’t mind. Daddy likes him.”</p><p>“Whatever gave you that idea?” Arthur called over. “I tolerate him, nothing more.” Fortunately the smile on Arthur’s face took the sting out of his words. “Merlin, do you have food for the Hound of the Baskervilles?” </p><p>Merlin nodded. “Yes, somewhere. Did we take all the stuff out of the car?”</p><p>“There are a few bags still in the hall,” Gwen said.</p><p>Merlin went and retrieved Kilgharrah’s food, along with his bowl and bed – the dog had cost him a small fortune at the pet shop on the way home on Friday, and that was even before he’d lost him his deposit on the flat.</p><p>He did his best to hold his breath so he didn’t have to smell the dog food as he tipped it into a bowl over by the back door. </p><p>“Alicia, leave him to eat,” Arthur said when it looked like she wanted to go over and stroke the dog. “Dogs don’t always like to be bothered when they are eating, he might think you are trying to take his dinner away.”</p><p>Alicia wrinkled her nose. “Why would I want his dinner? Mine smells much nicer.”</p><p>“Glad to hear it, if nothing else I can tell people I make dinner that smells better than dog food. Such high praise.”</p><p>Gwen rolled her eyes and then grinned at Merlin. “Bet you wish you were still sleeping on the office floor after an afternoon with these two.”</p><p>“Never, I took one look at that bed and fell asleep. You are officially my new favourite person. Thank you so much for letting me stay.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about me over here, I’m just chopped liver,” Arthur grumbled.</p><p>“Ignore him, let’s have a glass of wine!” Gwen said.</p><p>“It’s five o’clock, you drunkard,” Arthur said.</p><p>“I was talking to Merlin.”</p><p>“It’s six o’clock in France!” Merlin replied.</p><p>“See, perfectly fine! Will red do, Merlin?” Gwen walked over and grabbed a bottle of red and two glasses. “I won’t pour you any, Arthur, wouldn’t want you to drink too early.”</p><p>“You see what I have to put up with? I’m standing here over a hot stove and I don’t even get offered a drink!” Arthur shook his head sadly. “So under-appreciated in this house.”</p><p>“Fine, have a glass of wine to shut you up.” Gwen poured out another glass and pushed it at Arthur. She looked over at Merlin and grinned. “It’s fine, we don’t actually hate each other, but we’ve known each other far too long to still be nice.”</p><p>Merlin laughed. If anything, they reminded him a little of himself and Will – which probably meant he and Will were an old married couple. He made a mental note to tell Will that, just to annoy him.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Even the most comfy bed in the world could not stop Merlin being awake again before three a.m. – he was just conditioned to be awake early. Sleeping most of the previous afternoon probably hadn’t helped. </p><p>He got up as quietly as possible and dug around in his bag for some old clothes suitable for taking the dog out. A few years ago Gaius had made him take part in the Cardiff Half Marathon, so he did actually have some halfway decent running gear that had barely been used since. He did not enjoy running, his general lack of coordination making him a figure of fun to all around whenever he attempted such a thing. But it was three in the morning in January, so definitely dark enough that no one should be around. </p><p>“Come on, boy,” he whispered to Kilgharrah when he got down to the kitchen. The dog apparently had some sort of sixth sense because he was sitting waiting by the back door. </p><p>Merlin didn’t know the surrounding area at all, but the village wasn’t large and the park was easy enough to find. He might have felt nervous about being out alone in the dark, but he was pretty sure no one would dare attack him with Kilgharrah by his side. </p><p>It was still dark by the time they got back to the house, letting themselves in with the spare key. </p><p>Gwen was already sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee when they got back. She jumped slightly when they walked in, but then just shook her head, no doubt deciding it was too early to care.</p><p>“Morning!” he whispered. “Just let me shower and change and I’ll be right with you!”</p><p>She nodded. “It’s fine, we have plenty of time. Arthur is still faffing about in the bathroom. Dad will be here soon to collect Alicia.”</p><p>Of course, Leon was off skiing in the Alps, Arthur would be in the office again today. “Your Dad is a saint,” Merlin whispered to Gwen, snagging a cup of coffee on his way out of the kitchen.</p><p>Once they were in the car and on their way to work, Merlin decided it was time to start the dreaded conversation about money.</p><p>“So, about paying my share…” Merlin tried to sound casual as he fiddled with his watch. Why did talking about money always have to be so awkward?</p><p>“Share?” Gwen threw a confused look his way.</p><p>“Well. You two have very kindly offered to put me up while I look for a flat, you have to allow me to make some sort of contribution. I mean, I’m living in your house, using your power and water, eating your food. And that’s not even taking my dog into account.”</p><p>“Or the money you cost me with that little stunt on Boxing Day,” Arthur said.</p><p>Gwen rolled her eyes. “Arthur, you can afford it. I tell you what, Merlin, tidy up after yourself and Kilgharrah, do a shop every now and then, maybe babysit occasionally, do the odd bit of cooking and then we’ll call it even. And you can buy the dog food!”</p><p>“I’m not letting him loose in my kitchen,” Arthur muttered under his breath.</p><p>Merlin sighed. This just didn’t sit right with him, he wasn’t a freeloader. “Are you sure? I really think I should pay you rent or something. I mean, I’ll only be here for a few weeks, I swear, but even so.”</p><p>She smiled over at him as she indicated to turn into the studio carpark. “Don’t worry about it, I think we all like having you here. And if that changes, never fear, Arthur will let you know.”</p><p>“Hey, I’m not that bad!” Arthur said indignantly.</p><p>“You are!” Gwen said. “Anyway, it’s Kilgharrah we love really.”</p><p>“Aw, thanks Gwen, you really know how to make a guy feel special!” Merlin grinned, fairly sure she was joking.</p><p>It might have been because they were arriving at work a little later, or maybe because he was walking in with two of the stars of the show, but they got stopped for autographs and selfies at the studio entrance. Merlin was surprised that a couple of the fans wanted his autograph as well as Gwen and Arthur’s.</p><p>“Wow, it must be nice being so popular!” he said once they were in the lift to go upstairs. </p><p>Gwen laughed. “You’re the popular one, no one knits me hats!”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>It's Chinese New Year! <span class="x1F432"><span class="hide">(Dragon Face )</span></span> Happy year of the Rat, Rat Fans! <span class="x1F400"><span class="hide">(Rat )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#chinesenewyear #yearoftherat #rolandrat</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2.8k <span class="twTime"> 8:32 AM • Jan 25, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>997 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Happy “make singles feel bad about themselves” day! <span class="x1F499"><span class="hide">(Blue Heart )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#valentine #single #depressing</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2.5k <span class="twTime"> 7:59 AM • Feb 14, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>930 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><br/>Valentine’s day – always guaranteed to make the single people of the world feel depressed.<p>Arthur, of course, had sackfuls of cards from fans. The only Valentine's Merlin had ever received, except from Hunith, which didn’t count, had been from his Ex, and even then not in recent years. Not that Merlin wished he was still with Edwin, no fear, but still it would be nice to be part of all the flower and card giving. He both despised it and longed for it in equal measure.</p><p>Last year he’d had a really expensive meal deliverooed to the flat from one of the nicest restaurants in Cardiff – they’d stopped actually going out to eat because Merlin usually didn’t dress right or used the wrong knife or just generally made a fool of himself in public, but a nice meal in seemed like a good idea. Eventually, at about half past eleven when Edwin still hadn’t come home, he’d admitted defeat and thrown it all in the bin. He’d stayed with Edwin for another three months before he decided to apply for the job in London and make a clean break of it. </p><p> He really needed to check on how far Edwin had got with putting the flat on the market. They’d had a few stilted conversations where Edwin had assured him it was in hand, but still he’d heard nothing and a flat like that should have sold easily.</p><p>He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He really didn’t want to think about this. He was much better off out of it. Valentine’s day was nothing but a money spinner for the greetings card companies, everyone knew that. </p><p>Merlin’s report for Valentine’s day was a visit to just such a card factory. Thankfully, Agravaine’s suggestion that he dressed as Cupid for this was rejected by Uther as poor taste.</p><p>When he got back to the studio, George had taken great delight in informing him  that he <i>had</i> received cards – practically every granny in the country seemed to have sent him a Valentine, along with even more hand-knitted hats and scarves. </p><p>Gwen was <i>that</i> girl, the one who had a massive bouquet of roses delivered to the office. It was a Friday and Gwen wasn’t actually in to appreciate them, meaning Arthur and Merlin had to take the flowers home for her and Merlin couldn’t understand why he hadn’t just had them delivered there instead. </p><p>Of course, they might not be from Arthur. The anchors often got freebies and gifts from sponsors and fans, but he didn’t think Arthur would take them home in that case. But if they weren’t from Arthur, why was he hand delivering flowers to his girlfriend on Valentine’s day that could only be from another man? Or woman, or other, Merlin was not one to make assumptions.</p><p>There was actually a card waiting for Merlin back at the house. </p><p>“Valentine card for Merlin,” Arthur said, handing it over with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>Merlin glanced at the envelope and shook his head with a laugh. “From my Mam.”</p><p>Arthur meanwhile was frowning at a card addressed to him. </p><p>“Everything alright, Arthur?” Gwen asked.</p><p>Arthur tried to smile but it never reached his eyes. “Fine.” He put the unopened card on the pile of junk mail to be added to the recycling. “Just someone who can’t take no for an answer. I’m taking the dog for a run.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Pancake day! I’m a lemon and sugar person, what about the rest of you?</p>
<p></p><div class="twAPoll"><p>Lemon &amp; Sugar</p></div><div class="twAPoll"><p>Maple Syrup</p></div><div class="twAPoll"><p>Fruit &amp; Whipped Cream</p></div><div class="twAPoll"><p>Nutella</p></div><div class="twAPoll"><p>Other (will tell you in a reply!)</p></div><span>#shrovetuesday #pancakes #toppings #lemonandsugarftw</span><br/></div><div class="twStats"><p>742 votes • 18 hours left<br/>
❤ 1.1M <span class="twTime"> 8:48 AM • February 25, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>3.7k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><hr class="hr"/>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Going Live</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
</p><p>
  <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The person at the top of the stairs was both unexpected and solid, nearly sending Merlin toppling back down the way he’d come.</p><p>Looking where he was going had never been one of Merlin’s strong points; his mother had always said living with his head in a cloud was a good way to get hurt when living on a farm. Fortunately his magic always seemed to come to his aid before any serious injury could occur. Of course, that just meant he’d never really learnt to be more careful.</p><p>It was a wonder that he’d never managed to crash into Arthur or Gwen sooner. The master bedroom was at the end of the hall with Alicia’s room next to it, and then two guest rooms and the main bathroom just before the stairs, and yet the only people he had ever bumped into was Lance, who stayed over sometimes in the other spare room, and Alicia, who happily wandered between all the rooms, including Merlin’s. </p><p>This particular morning, he was running late. He’d taken Kilgharrah out for a very early morning run, as was becoming their routine, but with the days getting longer and their morning run getting lighter, Kilgharrah found more squirrels to chase and hadn’t wanted to come back. So Merlin found himself bounding up the stairs three at a time so he could have a shower and get ready for work in less than five minutes in case Arthur left without him. </p><p>Arthur’s hand came out, grabbing onto Merlin’s arm to steady him as he flailed, teetering on the edge of the top step about to topple backwards. An undignified squawk left his mouth as his free hand grabbed onto Arthur before he was pulled forward, his sweaty, un-showered body crashing against Arthur’s pristine suit and sending them both tumbling back onto the landing in a cacophony of clatter and oophs that brought Gwen and Lance onto the landing to see what had happened. </p><p>“Is anyone hurt?” Lance, who Merlin might have appreciated being only clad in boxers in a different situation, knelt down beside them with a worried frown etched onto his otherwise perfect face. </p><p>“I’m ok. I think I killed Arthur.” Merlin groaned as he sat up, almost missing the feeling of Arthur’s body under him except that he was so embarrassed right then he wanted nothing more than to disappear into his room and drown himself in the shower.</p><p>“It’s fine.” Arthur sat up and shook his head. “It was bound to happen soon or later, living with someone as feckless and clumsy as Merlin.” He stood up and straightened his tie, checking over his suit. </p><p>“Hey, I’m not feckless! I just… um… I’ll, er… I’d better go and shower. We’ll be late.” He could feel his face was beetroot red and quickly ran into his room. Why did he always have to make an idiot of himself in front of Arthur? And when did Lance arrive anyway? Merlin hadn’t even been aware of him being there!</p><p>Ten minutes later, clean and dressed, Merlin was downstairs in Arthur’s car, clutching onto a travel mug of coffee. Merlin wouldn’t have blamed Arthur if he had decided to poison it.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“What do you mean, Mordred’s covering it?” Merlin looked around the meeting table, hoping for support. </p><p>“Come now, Merlin, you have to give the younger reporters a chance as well.” Agravaine smiled <i>that</i> smile, the one that made Merlin’s skin crawl, and it was all Merlin could do not to hex him into the middle of next week.</p><p>“From where I’m sitting, Mordred gets plenty enough opportunities. This is my story, my suggestion, my research. Plus, in case you didn’t notice, I’m bloody Welsh! I’m the most logical person to cover St David’s Day!”</p><p>“I was born in Wales,” Mordred offered. “My mother is Welsh, so technically I’m half Welsh.”</p><p>“Well done you. I’m all Welsh, every last bit of me, Welsh born and bred and proud of it. I even speak Welsh, I have the proper accent for it and everything.” He laid on his accent extra thick for emphasis. “You wouldn’t get a Welshman to do a story on St George, so why get an Englishman to do a story on St David? It would be like sending a straight person to Pride or a white guy to talk about Black Lives Matter! And this is <i>my</i> story. If you’d actually done any of the research, or even if you’d come up with the idea in the first place, I might concede, but I am sick and tired of having my stories taken away from me while I get to look like an idiot instead.” He knew he was ranting and it probably wouldn’t get him anywhere, but seriously? </p><p>“It would make rather more sense for Merlin to go, surely?” Arthur said, eyebrow raised at his uncle. “Whilst it’s certainly not on the same level as Black Lives Matter, seriously Merlin, we need to talk about priorities, but I’m sure our Welsh viewers would prefer to see him cover this story.”</p><p>Agravaine smiled again, but it was forced and the side of his cheek twitched with the effort. “Arthur, whilst I appreciate you will be running the company some day, you still have a lot to learn, and for now <i>I</i> run this particular programme.” The smile became so condescending that Merlin was surprised Arthur didn’t want to punch it off Agravaine’s face. “Mordred will cover the story, and that is my final word on it. Merlin will cover World Book Day, there, everyone gets a story, let’s move on.”</p><p>“Mordred can have Book Day—” Merlin started. Ordinarily he wouldn’t mind covering World Book Day, but he was fairly sure Agravaine would have some stupid costume for him to wear.</p><p>“Enough!” Agravaine slammed his hand down on the table. “I am the producer of this show, if I say Mordred will go to Wales then Mordred will go to Wales. I will not stand for this insubordination. Now then, next order of business, Morgana’s interview with Daniel Craig will be screened on Thursday’s show.” </p><p>“Fine!” Merlin sat back in his chair and threw his hands up. “But if you end up sending a straight person to cover Pride, I’m putting in a complaint.” </p><p>Merlin spent the rest of the meeting quietly fuming. He’d worked hard on that story, and now Agravaine had taken it away yet again. He’d probably end up dressed as the sodding Gruffalo for World Book Day, or something worse.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>”Every day, when I wake up, I thank the Lord I’m Welsh!” – Catatonia circa 1998</p><p>
      <br/>
</p><p>Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus</p><p>Happy St David’s day to all my fellow Welsh persons!</p><p>
      <span>#stdavidsday #wales #catatonia #cerysmatthews</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2M <span class="twTime"> 9:02 AM • March 1, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>4.8k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
“Do you not think this is all a little bit cliché?” Merlin raised an eyebrow at the black wizard robes George presented him with. “I mean, half the kids at the school tomorrow will be dressed as someone from Harry Potter, why do you need to add me to the mix?”</p><p>George pushed the robes towards him again as though he hadn’t spoken. “Agravaine insisted. Thought you dressing as a wizard tomorrow for World Book Day would be funny, what with you being called Merlin and all. He’s a soprano short of a full cornet section if you ask me.”</p><p>Merlin folded his arms, refusing to take the robes. “Well then it would have made more sense for me to actually be Merlin or something, wouldn’t it? He’s been in plenty of books.” Merlin was careful to lace his words with absolute sarcasm there, just to underpin the fact that he did not want to dress as a wizard, called Merlin, Harry or anything else. “I’m not going to try and steal the thunder of all those kids out there who actually want to be Harry Potter and probably spent ages planning their costumes whilst hoping to get a Hogwarts letter.”</p><p>“Sounds like an excellent plan!" Arthur appeared from nowhere and clapped Merlin on the shoulder making him jump. “Dress him up as ancient old Merlin, long white beard, jazzy robes, pointy hat. It’ll be postmodern.”</p><p>“Where the bloody hell did you come from?” Merlin whirled around and glared at him.</p><p>Arthur shook his head and laughed. “Honestly, Merlin, I gave you a lift into work, remember?” he said in his best ‘patronising pillock’ voice.</p><p>“Well the least you could do is be on my side, rather than encouraging people to make me look stupid!”</p><p>Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Why on earth would I want to do that? You seem to do a perfectly good job of making yourself look stupid without any encouragement.”</p><p>“I wasn’t seriously suggesting I dress as Merlin! Well, not that Merlin, I’m perfectly happy to dress as this Merlin.” He indicated his usual work clothes for emphasis.</p><p>“Nevertheless, it was an excellent idea. We’ll say it’s for <i>The Once and Future King</i> or something. I’ll call down to wardrobe and see what they can come up with.”</p><p>Merlin narrowed his eyes. “How about <i>Le Morte d’Arthur</i>?”</p><p>Arthur raised a blond eyebrow. “Tell me how you really feel.”</p><p>“Ok then, if I have to be Merlin, you’ll have to be King Arthur. It’s only fair.”</p><p>Arthur laughed. “Don’t be silly, Merlin. I’m not leaving the studio, I don’t have to dress up.</p><p>“Well it’s the only way I’m doing it. Everyone wears fancy dress or no one does. I’m sick and tired of being the butt of all the jokes around here.” He folded his arms and glared belligerently at Arthur. </p><p>Arthur shrugged and gave him a shit-eating grin, that Merlin was pretty sure didn’t bode well, before turning and walking off.</p><p>“You were supposed to be on my side, you git!” Merlin called after him.</p><p>George patted him on the shoulder in a way that was probably supposed to be sympathetic. “Don’t worry about him. He’s about as sensitive as a bass trombone player in a pianissimo passage.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>It’s World Book Day! 📕<span class="x1F4D6"><span class="hide">(Open Book )</span></span></p><p>I’m going as the Great Wizard Merlin, who will you be? 🏰 🧙🏻</p><p>
      <span>#world_book_day #wizard</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3.8k <span class="twTime"> 7:43 AM • March 5, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>      <span>2.8k people are talking about this</span></p></div></div><p>The next day saw Merlin stood in front of a primary school in blue starry robes and a long white beard. It was an inevitability he had accepted as soon as he’d seen the look of glee on Arthur’s face the day before.</p><p>What he hadn’t expected until that morning was for Arthur and Mithian to be sat on the sofa in the studio dressed as King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. Arthur had tried to persuade Gwen to swap mornings with Mithian so that she could play Guinevere, but Gwen had point-blank refused – Alicia was going to school dressed as Matilda from Roald Dahl’s book of the same name, and Gwen wouldn’t miss that for the world. So Mithian might not have been Gwen, but she made a beautiful Queen Guinevere nonetheless.</p><p>So far, Merlin had tripped over the hem of his robes five times. Twice walking down the stairs to the carpark, once getting out of the car, once walking up the stairs to the school and once trying to get up from the child-sized chairs in the headmistress’s office. Percy and Gwaine had nearly wet themselves laughing every time, and he was pretty sure a video of the last one would be doing the rounds of the office.</p><p>Of course, Arthur, with his chainmail and plastic sword, was as dashing as his namesake, and his shining golden hair and unfairly handsome face only added to the illusion. Merlin might have also tripped over his robe when he first saw Arthur come out of wardrobe, but Gwaine wasn’t there to see that one so it didn’t count.</p><p>“Hello, I’m Miss Drayton.” A friendly voice pulled Merlin out of his musings. “Although as you’re not my pupils, I suppose you can call me Eira.” </p><p>The teacher was young, probably in her twenties, blonde and pretty. It came as no surprise at all, therefore, when Gwaine immediately started flirting with her.</p><p>“Hi, I’m Gwaine O’Conaill, but just to be in keeping with today’s theme, that’s Sir Gawain to you.” He flashed his most brilliant smile, the one that Merlin had seen get him extra chips in the studio canteen, and arched an eyebrow.</p><p>Eira gave a tinkling little laugh and smiled back in a way that almost made Merlin wonder if Gwaine had met his match. </p><p>“Hey, Sir Flirtsalot, did you bring the extra mics so we can interview some of the kids?” Percy asked, rolling his eyes. </p><p>Merlin had no idea if anything had actually happened between Gwaine and Percy, but Percy had been on the receiving end of Gwaine’s flirting ever since he’d started at Pendragon Media and had probably seen more than enough of it by now. </p><p>All it took was a quick blink of an eye for Gwaine’s shoelace to come unravelled on his way back to pick up the radio mics from the van and then a little encouragement for the shoelace to curl up and before anyone could say a thing, Gwaine was sprawled in a heap in the middle of the playground with a group of children pointing and laughing. </p><p>Merlin felt maybe a twinge of guilt, Gwaine was his friend after all, but then he remembered Gwaine laughing at him all the times he’d tripped over these stupid robes today and decided guilt was overrated.</p><p>“Hey, mister!” A little boy dressed in black wizard robes, with a lightning bolt drawn onto his forehead in felt-tip and round plastic glasses, was glaring at Merlin. “I’m Harry Potter, the greatest wizard who ever lived! Who are you supposed to be?”</p><p>Merlin glanced around. Most of the teachers and other children were still gathered around the fallen Sir Gawain, who was milking it for all he was worth. Percy was fiddling with the camera, not looking at Merlin at all. He looked back down at the boy and allowed his eyes to flash golden for a moment. “I am also a wizard, the Great Wizard Merlin!” And with an added flourish, he produced a standard magic trick bunch of felt flowers from behind his back.</p><p>The boy stared at the flowers, eyes wide. “Whoa, awesome!” He ran off towards his friends and before long they were all sneaking looks over at Merlin.</p><p>“You seem to have caused quite a stir,” Mrs Trollope, the Head Mistress who had come dressed as The Demon Headmaster, said with a smile. Merlin grinned back. It was nothing he couldn’t pass off as sleight of hand to amuse the kids. </p><p>He did his general piece to camera fairly early on for the twenty to eight slot where he talked about World Book Day and children’s books in general. Forty minutes later, when a few more children had shown up apart from the breakfast clubbers, he gathered them around to tell everyone which character they’d come as and why. There were three more Harry Potters, making Merlin very glad he wasn’t dressed that way too, two Hiccups and four Percy Jacksons. There were two Lyras, another Mildred Hubble, three Hermiones, a Tracy Beaker and one group, possibly siblings, who’d managed to coordinate as the Famous Five, complete with a toy dog on wheels. </p><p>Merlin did a few more ‘magic tricks’ and chatted about books with them, even after the camera had stopped rolling until the school bell rang and they all had to go to lessons. He’d never really known how to talk to children before, but maybe spending a few weeks with Alicia had helped him because he couldn’t help feeling the day had gone rather well, and it was only 9 a.m.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Arthur met them at the studio carpark, still in full King Arthur costume. He was signing autographs for his adoring fans and posing for pictures.</p><p>“Ah, here is the Merlin to my Arthur!” he called out, beckoning Merlin over. </p><p>The visitors seemed nearly as happy to meet him as they were to meet Arthur and he too ended up posing with them for pictures and signing autographs. Then he and Arthur had to pose together for photos, one picture even with Arthur’s arm around his shoulders, which he debated asking for a copy of before deciding that just sounded a bit sad and creepy.</p><p>“Why do they keep asking for pictures of me with my thumbs up?” he asked Arthur as they headed back into the studios. </p><p>Arthur looked at him and frowned. “Well, that’s your thing, isn’t it? The whole thumbs up?”</p><p>“I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.” </p><p>Arthur looked at him again. “You really don’t know you do that? Every report you do, you usually end up with your thumb in the air like you’re trying to flag a lift, especially the ones where you’re struggling to talk, like with the kitten up the tree, or that swimming thing where your Mum was forcing a hat onto your head while you were caught between wrapping up the interview and freezing to death.”</p><p>Merlin blinked. “That’s only two occasions though! It’s not like I do that all the time!”</p><p>Arthur started laughing. “You do, actually.”</p><p>“Oh, I guess I’d better try not to then.”</p><p>“No, keep doing it, the audience loves it. Do you never look yourself up on social media? You have a decent enough Twitter following.”</p><p>“We’re not all big headed prats, <i>Sire</i>.” It was bad enough that part of his job was keeping his own Twitter page updated, without actually having to read any of it.</p><p>Arthur gave him a funny look at the word ‘Sire’. He was probably offended.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
They got home that night to find Alicia wearing her pyjamas and not talking.</p><p>“She won’t tell me what’s wrong,” Gwen said with a worried frown. “She took her Matilda costume off the second she got in and she’s just been reading ever since.”</p><p>“Hey, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Arthur sat down and put his arm around her.</p><p>Alicia didn’t answer, instead turning and burying her head in Arthur’s chest. </p><p>“Do you want to come to the park while we take Kilgharrah for a run?” Arthur asked, pulling back slightly so she could see him sign. “We can throw that slobbery old ball he likes.”</p><p>Alicia sat up and wrinkled her nose. “The ball is disgusting,” she signed.</p><p>“Are you going to tell us who’s upset you?” Arthur asked again.</p><p>She looked down at her feet. “Katie Mabley was Matilda too, and she said I couldn’t be. She said Matilda doesn’t have dark skin and she wasn’t deaf. And I said well who could I be then and she said nobody, and the others all backed her up and said she made a much better Matilda than me!” </p><p>Gwen crouched down in front of her daughter and made sure she looked at her as she signed. “You show me that bit in the book.”</p><p>Alicia frowned. “What bit?”</p><p>“The bit where it says Matilda wasn’t deaf, or that she wasn’t a person of colour.”</p><p>Alica shook her head. “It doesn’t say that in the book.”</p><p>Gwen grinned. “No, it doesn’t, doesn't it? But you know, even if it said she was tall and blonde and could hear better than anyone else in the whole world, you could still be her if you wanted to be, no one can stop you. And it does say that Matilda was the brightest child in her school, and that sounds a lot like you. You can be whoever you want to be. I think Katie Mabley doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”</p><p>Alicia finally started smiling again. “No, she doesn’t, she’s silly.”</p><p>Arthur squeezed her shoulder. “How about we ask Merlin nicely if he will go and get fish and chips for dinner tonight?”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Merlin shook his head, making sure to look as sad as possible. “I still have to take Kilgharrah out, and I can’t take him in the chip shop because he will eat <i>everything</i> in there, and I can’t leave him outside, because my Kilgharrah holder is sitting here in her pyjamas and without her he will growl at everyone and keep them out of the chip shop, like he did that time at Sainsbury’s, and then I’ll get banned from the chip shop forever.”</p><p>Alicia jumped up. “I’ll get changed!”</p><p>“Kilgharrah said he’ll only go out with Matilda!”</p><p>She giggled and ran upstairs.</p><p>Gwen sighed, watching her daughter disappear out of the room. “Arthur, we’re going to have to have the talk with her sooner rather than later.”</p><p>Arthur nodded, looking grim. “And I’m calling that school tomorrow.”</p><p>“Talk?” Merlin asked, clearly missing something.</p><p>Gwen nodded. “The talk to try and explain racism and why she will always have to try twice as hard as the Katie Mabley’s of this world. My dad thinks I should have done it already, I was five when he told me.”</p><p>“It doesn’t help that her other grandfather seems to see her as a second class citizen,” Arthur said with a scowl. “My uncle told me some of the things he said behind my back, he’s supposed to love her unconditionally not put her down.”</p><p>Gwen wordlessly pulled Arthur into a hug. Feeling like an intruder, Merlin quietly slipped out of the room.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
“Ah, Merlin!” Agravaine was wearing that smile again that never boded well for Merlin. “How would you feel about doing a piece in the tiger enclosure at the zoo?”</p><p>“I… what?” Merlin actually took a step backwards, like Agravaine was going to maul him right now to save the tiger the bother.</p><p>“It would be fine, there would be a zoo keeper on standby.”</p><p>“No!” Merlin blurted out. Job be damned, he’d put up with a lot, but not this. “What is it with you and trying to get cats to kill me? What, if a cattery full of them couldn’t see me off, you’ll try sending me to be eaten by their bigger meaner brother?”</p><p>“It’s all about viewing figures, Merlin. The public loves to make a fuss when you keep putting yourself in these situations. They will be expecting bigger things now, and tigers or lions are the natural progression from cats.”</p><p>“I’m not doing it! I have no idea if I’d be allergic to tigers, I’ve never got close enough to find out and I never plan to, but I think I would definitely have a bad reaction to teeth and claws!” He was aware he’d raised his voice, but he’d finally reached breaking point with this man. “I’m a proper journalist, you know? I went to university and got a first and everything. Ever since I came here I’ve been nothing but a laughing stock. Well I’m not doing it, I applied for <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> rather than <i>Good Morning Albion</i> because you were supposed to be the more serious news company. If you insist on this then I’ll quit. Find yourself another mug.”</p><p>“What’s going on?” Arthur stuck his head into Agravainne’s office, irritation maring his face. “I was trying to make a phone call and all I could hear was you two arguing.”</p><p>“Merlin is being insubordinate, again.” Agravaine folded his arms looking smug. “I really think we need to reconsider his contract now his six months are up.”</p><p>Arthur gave an exaggerated sigh, complete with exaggerated eye roll, and folded his arms so he could glare at them properly. “I’m getting sick and tired of the constant bickering between you two. Merlin's been put on contract now, he's very popular with the audience,  but sooner or later my father will hear you arguing  and he won’t be at all tolerant. Merlin, I really don’t know why you have to fight Agravaine on every little thing, but please can you just do what is asked of you and then we can all get on with our jobs?”</p><p>“Me!” Indignant did not even begin to describe the way Merlin was feeling. “Every good idea I come up with, he either fights against it or he gives the story to Mordred. Then he sends me off to cover a story that is either ridiculous or dangerous and I have had enough!”</p><p>“Everyone has to cover the silly stories sometimes, Merlin. And I’d hardly call any of them dangerous. Agravaine is the show producer, he knows what he’s doing.” Arthur managed to make the whole speech sound like a long-suffering sigh.</p><p>“You see my problem?” Agravaine looked smug and Merlin had never wanted to punch anyone so hard. “He seems to think he is a cut above everyone else.”</p><p>“No, I don’t.” Merlin took a deep breath to try and calm down. “I am always, <i>always</i>, the one who has to dress up like an idiot, and for the most part I do as I’m asked. ”You seem to be trying to make me quit or something!” When no one was looking, Merlin was so going to make sure the man got the biggest spot on the end of his nose. </p><p>Agravaine gave a chuckle that managed to sound condescending and amiable at the same time. “You are perhaps a little paranoid.” Make that two spots.</p><p>“Come on, Merlin. My Uncle is a reasonable man, I very much doubt he has some sort of silly vendetta against you.”</p><p>“Oh really?” He turned to Arthur. “Did he actually tell you his latest idea? That he wants me to report on an endangered species of tiger from inside an enclosure at London Zoo? I think he’s hoping that on the off chance they don’t maul me to death, my cat allergy will be magnified to the size of the cat and I will die from that instead.” He was aware he was getting melodramatic and probably proving Agravaine’s point that he was paranoid, but this was getting ridiculous!</p><p>“I’m quite sure I never said anything about inside the tiger enclosure,” Agravaine said, still wearing that smile of his. “You really must stop getting so carried away, Merlin.”</p><p>“I very much doubt the zookeepers would actually allow anyone inside the enclosure.” Arthur was still looking between them, a small frown line marring his brow. “I tell you what, I’m sure Mordred would be keen to develop his own research skills more, he can go to the zoo, keeping a sensible distance from the animals, and we’ll find a different story for Merlin.”</p><p>“But…” Agravaine began, looking annoyed at last.</p><p>“All sorted? Excellent.” Arthur spoke over Agravaine before he could protest. “Now, Merlin, I need to go over the final details for the Dame Helena story, she’ll be in the studio next week and we need to make sure this is watertight before Gwen’s interview.”</p><p>Merlin didn’t even try to hide his smirk from Agravaine as he walked past.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys<span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>A fake diva unmasked on this morning’s show! Go to BBC iPlayer to watch Gwen Lyons’s interview with Dame Helena DuMaurier, or plain old Mary Collins as it turns out! Go Gwen!  </p><p>
      <span>#divaunmasked #damehelena #fraud</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3.8k <span class="twTime"> 9:42 AM • March 9, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>3k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys<span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>It’s snowing!</p><p><span class="x1F328"><span class="hide">(Cloud With Snow )</span></span> <span class="x2744"><span class="hide">(Snowflake )</span></span> <span class="x2603"><span class="hide">(Snowman )</span></span></p><p>      <span>#snow #yeti #cold</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2.9k <span class="twTime"> 7:38 AM • March 11, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>2.1k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
<br/>
Merlin was so cold he could barely feel his toes.</p><p>Or his nose.</p><p>A heavy blizzard overnight had left the east coast of England under several inches of snow, and of course, the general public could not be expected to believe this without seeing Merlin freeze to death out in it.</p><p>“Can’t I come and sit in the van?” His voice was whipped away by the wind.</p><p>Gwaine paused with his phone to his ear and then shook his head. “Agravaine wants to see you covered in snow,” he shouted.</p><p>“I have a proper winter coat in the van, can I at least put that on? And maybe a hat?” They did, after all, have several woolly hats in the van that Merlin had grabbed from the hat pile in the office.</p><p>Gwaine relayed Merlin’s request then shook his head again. “He says you have to wear the <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> coat, and a hat will mess up your hair.”</p><p>Merlin kicked at the snow miserably. He was pretty sure this was Agravaine’s revenge for Arthur saying no to the zoo. “My hair is already a frozen mess! I’m sure the viewers who sent them in will love it if I wear one of the hats.”</p><p>“Agravaine says no. And now he says to take the mittens off too.”  Gwaine shrugged. “Sorry, mate. But hey, I wonder how many hats you’ll get after this!”</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “Not yet, I’ll take them off last minute. I’d quite like to still have fingers left by tonight.” </p><p>There were snowflakes in his hair and stuck to his eyelashes, and all over his coat. He hadn’t seen his face, but he was pretty sure it must be Camelot red to match the coat, which was pitifully inadequate in this weather. Fortunately, he did have thick socks on under his walking boots, and a scarf hidden under his coat, and Gwen had made him put on a thermal vest this morning because apparently she was turning into his mother. </p><p>A car drove past and sounded it’s horn at them. Whilst most people had stayed at home today, there were still a few intrepped commuters out there who either thought they were invincible or had no choice but to try and get to work. Several cars were already stuck fast at the bottom of the hill, others had stuck further up and Merlin had some great Twitter footage of Percy and Gwaine helping to push a Mini Cooper out of the sludge at the side of the road. But several 4x4s, or twatmobiles as Merlin preferred to call them, were smugly sailing up the hill and beeping at the TV crew halfway up.</p><p>Eventually, Gwaine climbed out of the warmth of the van and came over to reattach Merlin’s microphone and earpiece. </p><p>“Jeeesus but you’re cold!” He said as he touched Merlin’s ear.</p><p>Merlin narrowed his eyes and glared at him. “D’ya think?” he snarked. </p><p>He sighed and took off his nice warm gloves too.</p><p>“Merlin?” Arthur’s voice crackled over the earpiece. “Is that you or the Abominable Snowman?”</p><p>He forced his frozen face into a grin. “A yeti ate Merlin a few hours ago!” His voice sounded much brighter than he felt. </p><p>“You know, we have plenty of hats here you could wear!” Mithian said. </p><p>“I know! I could do with one of those now.” </p><p>From over beside the camera, Gwaine grinned. He reached back into the van and grabbed a bobble hat, which he threw at Merlin.</p><p>By more luck than judgement, Merlin managed to catch the hat in his numb hands, and gratefully pulled it on, regardless of Agravaine’s disapproval. “Ah ha! It looks like our soundman, Gwaine, remembered to bring me a hat after all! Many thanks to our viewers for sending the hats in.” Hopefully a viewer somewhere would be gratified to see their handiwork on telly.</p><p>He hurried through the report, finally signing off with relief. </p><p>He practically ran over to the van, scrambling inside and ignoring the bite of cold slicing through him as he stripped out of the sodden red coat and his suit jacket and then quickly pulled on a warm jumper and his proper winter coat and scarf, shivering violently even then. </p><p>“Want me to strip off and cuddle you for warmth?” Gwaine offered, waggling his eyebrows. “It’s what you’re supposed to do for hypothermia, body heat and all that. We could have a nice warming little threesome in the back of the van.”</p><p>“Sod off, pervert.” Merlin’s teeth were chattering now, even though he’d managed to keep that at bay while the camera was rolling.</p><p>“Aww, you don’t mean that.” Gwaine came over and wrapped Merlin up in a hug, which actually helped but Merlin would never admit that.</p><p>“Don’t worry, guys, I’ll pack the equipment up while you two canoodle in the back of the van.” Percy carefully stowed the camera away. He was wearing one of the woollen hats, and managing to look a lot better in it than Merlin did. Merlin made a mental note to take a picture when he could feel his hands again.</p><p>“Oh, stop complaining and come and join our cuddle pile.” Gwaine grabbed Percy’s arm and pulled him in.</p><p>“This would be really awkward in any other circumstance,” Merlin mumbled from where he was now squashed between two beautiful men, which actually might have featured in a fantasy if they weren’t both firmly in the friend zone.</p><p>“It’s fairly awkward in these circumstances,” Percy said, although Merlin was sure he could hear a hint of laughter in his voice.</p><p>“You two are nice and warm, though,” Merlin admitted, another shiver wracking through him.</p><p>“See, told you it was a good idea,” Gwaine said. “That Agravaine really is a twat.”</p><p>“Come on, let’s find a nice warm café and get tea and a cooked breakfast,” Percy suggested.</p><p>They broke apart and Percy headed to the driver’s seat. </p><p>The van made a pitiful sound as he turned the key and Percy swore under his breath before trying again. It wasn’t long before Percy and Gwaine were back out in the snow with the bonnet up, staring at the engine. Merlin considered joining them, but to be honest, the engine could be filled with spaghetti and he still wouldn’t know the difference, which of course also made it hard for him to fix with magic – he’d actually need to understand what was wrong to make it right.</p><p>A familiar van sped past as they were trying to get the engine going, sending up a spray of dirty sludge. </p><p>“Looosers!” Valiant’s voice yelled out followed by the laughter of the rest of his team.</p><p>Merlin checked his watch to make sure the show was off air and then called Arthur. He wasn’t exactly sure why he chose Arthur, he was pretty sure Arthur had no mechanic skills, no pickup truck on speed dial and no desperate need to know that the three of them were half frozen and now stranded in the snow, but for some reason his thumb went straight to Arthur’s name.</p><p>“Ianto the Abominable Snowman, what can I do for you?” Arthur sounded chirpy and Merlin suddenly felt more ridiculous than ever for calling him.</p><p>“Um, our van broke down. We’re stuck on the side of the road somewhere in Kent.” He did his best to control his voice because he suddenly felt close to tears and he couldn’t possibly let Arthur know that.</p><p>“Have you called a breakdown service?”</p><p>“P-Percy’s sorting it.” That was possibly a lie. Percy might well have called someone, he probably had, but Merlin had no clue either way. He really should have called someone useful rather than caving in to a need to hear Arthur’s voice.</p><p>“Are you at least wrapped up warmer than you were?” Arthur sounded surprisingly gentle. “What on earth were you thinking, standing out there in the snow with no hat or scarf on? And don’t think I don’t know exactly how thin those <i>Wake Up</i> jackets are, my Father cut costs on them. No one expected you to wear one today.” </p><p>“Agravaine did,” Merlin replied, failing to keep the bitter note from his voice. “Wear the coat, Merlin, take the hat off, Merlin, lose the scarf, Merlin, stand there so you get covered in snow, Merlin. I think he's hoping I’ll get lost in a snow drift.”</p><p>Arthur was silent for a long moment before answering. “I’m sorry. He had no right to ask you to do that.”</p><p>Merlin blinked at the phone. Had Arthur really just admitted his precious Uncle was in the wrong? “Could have done with knowing that an hour ago.”</p><p>“Look, I’m supposed to be in a meeting right now, but keep me posted on how you get on, yeah?”</p><p>“Didn’t know you cared.”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t. It’s your turn to provide dinner tonight, remember?”</p><p>“So it is. No one else dials for pizza quite like I do, right?”</p><p>“I think it’s those Welsh vowels, the pizza parlour always gives us extra cheese.”</p><p>Gwaine climbed back into the van just as Merlin hung up. </p><p>“Don’t suppose that was a rescue service, by any chance?” Gwaine asked, shaking the snow from his hair.</p><p>“Um, no, sorry, just letting the studio know where we are.” He sighed and glanced out the window into the snow. “I guess that means the van is buggered?”</p><p>“Well and truly, mate. So buggered it must have made its own porn movie when we weren’t looking.” Gwaine grabbed one of the blankets and shivered. “It’s too cold even for me to make decent jokes, sorry.”</p><p>Percy heaved himself back into the driver’s seat and turned to face them. “I called around the local garages. Between the snow and backed-up call outs, no one can get to us for at least a couple of hours. AA and RAC say the same. Looks like we’re stuck.”</p><p>“Is it worth trying to walk?” It wasn’t that Merlin wanted to go back out in the snow, but without the engine running the van wasn’t exactly warm, and at least exercise might help.</p><p>Percy shook his head, the pompom on his hat bouncing as he did so. “Nah, the snow is coming down heavier than ever, we’d be lost in seconds. Maybe if this lets up a bit, but I’m not leaving the equipment here. </p><p>They were huddled together in the back of the van trying to keep warm when a phone started ringing. </p><p>“Someone really has to answer that,” Gwaine said, staring at it.</p><p>“It’s Merlin’s phone,” Percy answered.</p><p>Merlin sighed and reached out from the blanket huddle. “Agravaine, how delightful to hear from you.”</p><p>“I assume you haven’t managed to get moving yet.” </p><p>Merlin rolled his eyes. “We’ve been having such a lovely time out here that we thought we’d just leave it for a bit and we’d have another go when we were done sunbathing.” </p><p>Gwaine snorted from beside him.</p><p>“No need to be facetious. I’ve made a deal with a local news team in your area, I want you three to hang around there till lunchtime, then do a piece for their programme.”</p><p>“And there was us thinking you were sending the cavalry to our rescue. You do realise it’s zero degrees here, right?” Gwaine said, leaning down to make sure Agravaine could hear him.</p><p>“Three young healthy lads like you? I’m sure you’ll be fine!” Agravaine sounded like he was loving this. “Expect a call within the hour, the show is at noon.” He hung up.</p><p>“Well,” Merlin said, still staring at the phone. “Maybe one of those breakdown services will reach us by then.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>The Wake Up van has been stranded in the snow for hours now. We may turn into ice lollies. Stay warm everyone!</p><p><span class="x26C4"><span class="hide">(Snowman Without Snow )</span></span> <span class="x26C4"><span class="hide">(Snowman Without Snow )</span></span> <span class="x26C4"><span class="hide">(Snowman Without Snow )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#snow #yeti #cold #captainoates</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3.1k <span class="twTime"> 2:03 PM • March 11, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>2.3k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
<br/>
It felt like it was getting dark even as early as two o’clock, and they were still sitting in the cold van by the side of the road, nearly seven hours after they’d arrived. </p><p>“You want us to wait for the six o’clock news?” Merlin said into the phone. </p><p>“Yes, just another couple of hours.” Agravaine, nice and warm in the studio without a care in the world, clearly didn’t mind if three of his staff froze to death somewhere in the middle of Kent.</p><p>“Another <i>four</i> hours. We’ve been here since half past seven this morning, there is no heat, we’ve had nothing to eat, nothing to drink. We have to huddle together for warmth and go out into the snow to pee. If you hadn’t stopped us, we’d have walked to the nearest service station hours ago. We cannot spend the night here, do you understand me?”</p><p>“Honestly, I really do think you are overreacting here. I’m sure someone will be along to get you moving soon. In the meantime, you really might as well do this inte—”</p><p>Merlin huffed and hung up on him.</p><p>“We’re not staying here till six,” Percy said. “I don’t care how much Agravaine is getting paid for this, it’s not like we’ll see a penny of it. As soon as we can get this heap of junk moving, we’re out of here. Failing that, yeah, we’ll just have to walk.”</p><p>Merlin grabbed his phone again. “I’ll call the local station and get them to run with something pre-recorded. We can do it now.”</p><p>The loud roar of an engine made them all look out of the window. </p><p>“What the…” Gwaine started to laugh.</p><p>A tractor was driving up the hill towards them, pulling a car behind it. The farmer waved on his way past. “I’ll be back for you lads in a minute!” he called out to them. </p><p>Percy cheered and grabbed his camera. “Quick, let’s get some footage of him – local hero! That’ll fill their news slot and hopefully we’ll be on our way home.”</p><p>The local news station was more than happy with their superhero-farmer on a tractor story, and within the hour the three of them were sitting on the tractor with their van dragging along behind them. </p><p>“She won’t be getting you home tonight, lads” the farmer, Jim, said nodding at the van. “I’ll drop her off at Bob’s garage, the missus won’t mind a few extra guests. You won’t be the only ones.”</p><p>“Wait, you’re offering to put us up for the night?” Merlin frowned and shook his head. “But you don’t know anything about us, we could be psychopathic axe murderers for all you know!”</p><p>“Merls, shut up!” Gwaine nudged him hard in the ribs. “Don’t put the nice man off.”</p><p>“I can always leave you to freeze to death on the side of the road if you prefer,” Jim replied. “We’ve already got a few strays for the night, the farmhouse is big enough and the night is too cold to stay out. Besides, I know exactly who you are. You’re that Welsh eejit who went swimming in the sea at Christmas and who rescued that kitten in the flood. My Annie thinks you’re a lovely lad, so try not to prove her wrong.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>We’ve been rescued! Farmer Jim for the Win. <span class="x1F69C"><span class="hide">(Tractor )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#snow #farmerjimftw #superherofarmer #rescued #merlinsurvives</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 4.4k <span class="twTime"> 6:54 PM • March 11, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>3.5k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><br/><p>“I won’t be home tonight,” Merlin told Arthur over the phone when they arrived at the farmhouse.</p><p>“What? Why? Where are you? Do you want me to come and get you?” Arthur sounded a bit agitated so Merlin assumed he must have interrupted something important.</p><p>“No, it’s fine, you’d just get stuck in the snow too. I’m sure you can still manage to order pizza without me.” He tried for calm and reassuring so Arthur could get back to his work or whatever. </p><p>“But where are you going to sleep? Are the three of you still stuck at the side of the road? You’ll freeze!” Was Arthur actually worried? Well, to be fair it wouldn’t exactly look good for Pendragon Media if one of their news crews froze to death.</p><p>“We’ve been rescued by a local farmer. Can you feed Kil?”</p><p>“What, yes, of course, I already fed him, and took him out. He seems a bit restless without you here. Anyway, what do you mean, ‘rescued by a farmer’? What farmer? You can’t just go spending the night with any passing nut job, Merlin.”</p><p>“They are very nice people, Arthur. They’ve taken in those of us who were stranded and saved us from being stuck out in the snow all night. We’re at The Old Lodge Farmhouse, near Folkestone.”</p><p>“We? You’re spending the night with Gwaine?” In Merlin’s fantasy, Arthur sounded jealous, but of course in reality that would never happen.</p><p>“Yes, of course Gwaine is here, and Percy. They were hardly going to rescue me and just leave the others by the side of the road. Look, I’m sure you’re busy, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He hung up quickly before he could say something stupid like ‘love you’. Not that he loved Arthur, of course, it’s just the way he always finished off his calls to his mother, and he was feeling emotional. Arthur was a prat. And Arthur was straight, and Gwen’s, so that would just be a silly thing to feel. Right? He should probably call his mother.</p><p>Jim and Annie had indeed gone out and rescued all the stranded travellers in the nearby area. Those who could get home did, but there were about ten others who ended up squashed into the farmhouse for the night.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
By the time Merlin finally got home, or, well back to Arthur’s, that is to say, Gwen and Arthur’s, so not really home, but where they were very kindly putting him up, or putting up with him… </p><p>Anyway, when Merlin finally got back to his current digs, well over thirty-six hours since he left, he opened the front door and was instantly pushed backwards onto the snowy path by at least 15 stone of dog, who then proceeded to lick every spare inch of his face.</p><p>“Kil, gerroff!” He turned his face away from the onslaught and tried completely ineffectually to push the dog off him. He could hear Arthur laughing from over beside the car and was pretty sure he’d be getting no help from that quarter.</p><p>“I guess someone missed you!” Arthur said, still laughing. </p><p>“Arthur! Help him!” Gwen’s voice came from inside the house, quickly followed by the sound of feet running towards them.</p><p>“Daddy, Kil is giving Merlin a bath!” Alicia shouted. </p><p>“Kil, get off him, bad dog!” Gwen might only be small but not even a dog Kilgharrah’s size was going to disobey her when she took that tone. </p><p>With the weight of the dog finally off his chest, Merlin sat up and attempted to wipe at his face with the sleeve of his coat. </p><p>“Ugh, Kil, that is disgusting!” </p><p>Kilgharrah stepped forward and licked him again.</p><p>“Not the face! You’ve been licking your balls with that tongue!”</p><p>Alicia giggled again, that child was really far too good at lip reading, and Arthur pointedly cleared his throat. </p><p>“I’m going to take a shower, if no one objects. I seem to be covered in dog spit.” Merlin climbed to his feet.</p><p>Gwen shook her head and smiled. “I tell you what, why don’t you take a bath in the main bathroom, it’ll warm you up better. And after sleeping on the floor all night, it’ll probably do your muscles good. I’ve got some lovely bath bombs in my room, I’ll let you have one if you like. And there’s some homemade soap in there too.”</p><p>“Gwen, that sounds wonderful! You are literally the best human being in the world. I’d hug you, but I’d cover you in dog spit.”</p><p>She laughed. “Maybe once you’re clean and you smell better.”</p><p>“Are you saying I smell?”</p><p>“Wellll…”</p><p>“Fine, point taken, I’m going to go and get washed."<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Finally warm and smelling of Gwen’s nice lavender soap, Merlin headed down to the kitchen, where he was treated to the aroma of fresh Welsh cakes. </p><p>“I helped make them!” Alicia told him. “Daddy said they’d remind you of home, which is silly because this is your home and he’s never made them before.”</p><p>“I can tell you helped by the flour on your nose.” He reached out and wiped her face, holding up his fingers to show her. </p><p>“Alicia rolled the dough and did all the cutting out,” Gwen said, picking up an armful of clean washing to take upstairs. “Arthur did most of it, he was really worried about you last night.”</p><p>Merlin felt himself blush at that. Why should Arthur be worried about him? “I don’t know about reminding me of home, neither Mam nor I have ever made Welsh cakes our lives, but they smell amazing.” </p><p>Arthur, meanwhile, was pacing about outside in the snow, without sensible clothing, apparently having an argument with someone on the phone. He’d been running his hand through his hair and it was now standing up on end, and Merlin wasn’t sure if his face was red from the conversation or from the cold.</p><p>“Can we go outside and build a snowman?” Alicia asked. “Daddy said I had to wait till you got home, but you’re home now, so can we?”</p><p>Merlin looked back at Arthur. “Um, maybe when your Dad has finished his phone call.” He attempted to sign as he spoke, trusting that Alicia would soon correct him if he made a mistake.</p><p>She rolled her eyes. “Groanies are <i>always</i> on the phone.”</p><p>Arthur came back in, stamping the snow from his shoes. “I hope you two have left enough Welsh cakes for me!”</p><p>“Everything okay?” Merlin asked.</p><p>Arthur gave him a tight smile and nodded. “Some people just can’t take ‘no’ for an answer. So, you spent the night with the infamous Gwaine.” Arthur didn’t look at Merlin, making a big show of spreading butter instead.</p><p>“Him and half of Kent,” Merlin replied, then realised how that sounded. “I mean… Gwaine is just a friend. And there were a lot of us there last night, sleeping, not <i>spent the night with</i> spent the night with.”</p><p>“Daddy, you said we could build a snowman!” Alicia had finished eating and was looking wistfully out of the window at the snow.</p><p>Arthur rolled his eyes and Merlin bit back a laugh at how much he looked like his daughter. “Fine, if we are going we’d better go soon or it will be dark. I think you’ll find a dry hat and gloves in Mummy’s room, she took a big pile of laundry up just now. And put your wellies on.”</p><p>“You do realise my coat is cold, wet, and covered in dog slime?” Merlin asked.</p><p>Arthur shrugged. “You can borrow one of mine. Come on, you know what the British weather’s like, the snow could be gone by tomorrow and then Alicia will never let us hear the end of it.”</p><p>In the end they had a snowman building competition, which Kilgharrah did his best to destroy till Merlin told him off. Alicia ran back into the warmth as soon as Gwen called her, leaving Merlin and Arthur lying on their backs in the snow where they’d been trying to make snow angels.</p><p>“It’s good to have you back, Merlin,” Arthur reached over and grabbed Merlin’s hand. “We missed you.”</p><p>Merlin looked over and grinned. “It’s good to be back, but it would be even better if we went inside where it’s warm.”</p><p>It was the quickest of things, Merlin almost wasn’t even sure it wasn’t some cold-induced fantasy, but as Arthur sat up, he leant over and pressed the briefest, coldest, kiss in the world to Merlin’s cheek. Then he was gone, leaving Merlin lying in the snow wondering if that had really just happened.</p><p>It was absolute heaven coming back into the warm kitchen, his face still tingling.</p><p>Arthur had his back to him and seemed to be busily making hot chocolate, determinedly not looking round.</p><p>“You four look like you had fun!” Gwen said as she helped Alicia out of her coat and boots and then they all leapt out of the way as Kilgharrah decided to shake the snow off his fur.</p><p>“We did!” Merlin replied, grabbing Kilgharrah’s towel to rub him down. “You, on the other hand, look very nice indeed, I assume that gorgeous dress is not for spending Friday night in with us?”</p><p>She laughed and gave a little twirl, the skirt of her black dress swirling out as she did so to reveal flashes of red. “I’ve been invited out for dinner.” </p><p>“You look gorgeous,” Merlin said.</p><p>“You do.” Arthur came over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, still not quite looking at Merlin.</p><p>“Get off, you’re freezing!” She pushed him away, still laughing. </p><p>“I think you look beautiful,” Alicia said, wrapping her arms around her mother’s legs. “I want to look like you when I grow up.”</p><p>“I think you have a pretty good chance of that, kiddo, you’re already a Mini Mummy,” Arthur said, ruffling her hair. “Come on now, let’s not get Mum creased. Merlin still owes us pizza, what flavour shall we get?”</p><p>Merlin’s stomach rumbled loudly at the idea of pizza. “Oh good plan!”</p><p>“Ham and pineapple!” Alicia suggested.</p><p>“Oh bad plan.” Merlin shook his head.</p><p>“For once I have to agree with Merlin, pizza is no place for pineapple,” Arthur said.</p><p>“My objection is to the ham,” Merlin pointed out. “I have no problem with pineapple. Mushrooms, however, have no business on pizza or in any other food.”</p><p>“Bleugh, mushrooms are yucky,” Alicia agreed, wrinkling her nose and stuck her tongue out. </p><p>“Hey, I like mushrooms!” Arthur said. “Peppers, on the other hand, pure evil.”</p><p>Gwen shook her head. I can see this is going to take you three a long time to agree on. How about you get three small ones?”</p><p>Merlin shrugged. “Or we get one large Hawaiian and a large veggie, Arthur can eat all the mushrooms and I’ll eat all the peppers, and Liss can eat the pineapple? And I'll avoid the ham.”</p><p>“Are we getting garlic bread?” Arthur asked, looking hopeful.</p><p>“Of course! And can we all agree that olives are disgusting?”</p><p>Pizza ordered and all changed into dry clothes, they settled in front of the fire and watched <i>The Simpsons</i> with three cups of hot chocolate while they thawed out. </p><p>“Right, I’m off, don’t let Alicia stay up too late!” Gwen said as a car pulled up the driveway. </p><p>“Have a nice evening!” Merlin said.</p><p>“Be good, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Arthur said.</p><p>“So I can do pretty much anything then?”</p><p>“Make sure you do! You look beautiful, by the way.”</p><p>Alicia insisted on watching <i>Frozen</i> as they ate their pizza, which Merlin thought was in rather poor taste considering the snow of the last two days. She was absolutely horrified to learn that Merlin had never seen it.</p><p>“You’ve done it now,” Arthur groaned. “Just you wait, soon you will know all the words and all the songs, they sink into your brain no matter what you do, and you’ll never be able to unlearn them. I swear she learnt to read earlier than most children just so she could read the subtitles for this film, and that means that not only will you know the words, you'll get them right and everyone will think you're a sadsack. Last year I did really well on <i>Celebrity Pointless</i> by knowing all the words to <i>Be Our Guest</i> from <i>Beauty and the Beast</i>, you could see the pity in Richard and Xander's eyes because I'd just lost any credibility I might have had.”</p><p>After Alicia had gone to bed, Arthur insisted they watch <i>Die Hard</i>, presumably to regain some of that alleged credibility. Merlin privately thought he might have preferred <i>Frozen</i>, but he rather enjoyed sitting so close to Arthur, who had sat right back down next to him after he put Alicia to bed. </p><p>At some point, it was inevitable that Merlin, who had had two very long very cold days and a night spent sleeping on a stranger’s living room floor with a bunch of people he didn’t know, would fall asleep on Arthur. </p><p>One minute Alan Rickman was being very dastardly (and a bit sexy) on the TV whilst Bruce Willis walked on broken glass, the next Christopher Ecclestone and Billie Piper had somehow made their way into the film and were running away from plastic mannequins and Merlin was actually lying with his head on Arthur's chest and Arthur's arm thrown around his shoulder. </p><p>“Wha?” Merlin said, half sitting up and trying not to blush. “Shit. Sorry, Arthur.”</p><p>“No problem, you must be exhausted.”</p><p>“I didn’t realise Dr Who was in <i>Die Hard</i>.”</p><p>“The Doctor,” Arthur said.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“He’s called ‘The Doctor’, not ‘Dr Who’, <i>Dr Who</i> is the name of the show.”</p><p>“Right. Wow, I really didn’t have you down for a nerd.”</p><p>“Shut up and watch <i>Dr Who</i>.” There was a small smile on Arthur’s face showing he wasn’t really offended. </p><p>Perhaps if he’d been more awake, Merlin might have moved away, but he was warm and comfortable so instead he curled back up against Arthur and watched the show. Which is exactly how Gwen found them two hours later.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Merlin’s morning routine was get up, take Kilgharrah down to the park in the dark to chase squirrels, come back, grab a coffee, shower, change, jump in the car with either Gwen or Arthur, get breakfast from the canteen. It didn’t vary, it didn’t require thought.</p><p>He was, therefore, not expecting to find Arthur, in full running gear, stretching in the kitchen when he got downstairs. </p><p>“Arthur! What are you doing here?” he yelped. </p><p>"I'm coming with you." Arthur carried on with his warm-up as he spoke. Merlin never bothered with a warm up, he didn’t really run, he just wore running clothes.</p><p>"Really there's no need…" Merlin gave a nervous laugh.</p><p>Arthur was a proper runner, he was entering the London Marathon! He would expect Merlin to actually do running! </p><p>Maybe he should just let Arthur take Kil for a run without him? Just another way they didn’t need Merlin if he couldn’t even look after his own dog! Maybe Arthur thought it was time for Merlin to leave, he had probably been sponging off them for too long, after all… </p><p>"Don't you want me to come?" Arthur sounded a little hurt. He had finally stopped stretching, which was a shame because in other circumstances Merlin would have appreciated the view.</p><p>"No, of course I do… it's just you're much faster than me, I'll hold you back." And Arthur would definitely laugh at him, just like all the kids back at school used to. Baby giraffe, they’d always called him, with his long legs getting all tangled up and practically going in different directions. The way Edwin had made fun of him when he’d done the Cardiff Half Marathon for <i>Bore Da</i>. Arthur would have a field day.</p><p>"Nonsense." Arthur moved towards the back door where Kilgharrah was already waiting. “It’s good for me to have someone to run with. I <i>was</i> training with Elyan, but he’s started running with Lance now, and neither are very reliable because they’re in love. I mean, not with each other, but well, people who are in love are not reliable. Come on, I  can slow down to your pace and give some pointers.”</p><p>"Pointers?" Merlin stood in the kitchen for a moment with his mouth hanging open before he realised that Arthur and Kilgharrah had already left and hurried out to catch up.</p><p>"Yes, I was looking at your form the other day, you bob your head far too much, adds minutes to your time that will," Arthur called over his shoulder as he heard Merlin’s footsteps behind him.</p><p>“When did you see me run?” Merlin sounded out of breath already, whereas Arthur could be sitting still for how unaffected he seemed.</p><p>“I saw a clip of you in the Cardiff Half Marathon. It’s on YouTube.” </p><p>“But that was four years ago!” That was the worst assignment he’d ever been given, even worse than the boxing day dip. He’d had to train every day and run where people could see him. It was a nightmare.</p><p>Arthur shrugged. “I was doing research on other presenters who had done marathons, I’m planning on doing a piece for it on the show. I knew Ellie had done marathons but I wasn’t expecting to see you!”</p><p>"I don’t need pointers though, I’m not planning on ever running again. And please please do not use that clip, it was embarrassing enough the first time!"</p><p>"You could always enter the marathon with me. We can train together." </p><p>"What?” Merlin blinked. How had Arthur gone from Merlin never running again to running in a marathon? “What part of me not running was hard to understand?"</p><p>“Of course you want to do it, Merlin! Why wouldn’t you?”</p><p>“I don’t have enough time left to train, it’s in, like, a month or something. I’m unfit!”</p><p>“I can get you up to speed.”</p><p>“Ah!” Merlin had one ace left up his sleeve and he was going to play it. “It’s too late to apply, so looks like I’m out of luck, poor me. Never mind, eh?” </p><p>"Leave it to me. One of the organisers owes me a favour." </p><p>Merlin stood at the entrance to the park shell shocked. Could he just go back to bed now? Start the day again where this conversation never happened? There was no way on earth he was going to enter a marathon! Especially not with Arthur.</p><p>"Come on now!” Arthur called back to him from half way down the footpath. “There's a good jungle gym in the park; so we can add some burpees, mountain climbers and Russian twists to  your routine and work on core stability." He checked his watch. "Shall we get going?"<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Merlin had never intended to stay so long with Gwen and Arthur. He knew he was probably very much filling the role of ‘house guest who has overstayed his welcome’, but the truth was, he really liked living there.</p><p>Arthur was still a prat, there was no denying that. A beautiful prat, but still a prat. But the more he got to know him, the more Merlin realised that Arthur was a prat whose heart was in the right place, even if he did keep trying to make Merlin go running. Of course, that was just another reason why he should have been finding a new flat – he hated running. That and the fact he was in very serious danger of falling arse over tit in love with said prat, and he really couldn’t afford to do that. A treacherous little part of him kept hoping for a repeat of the evening he’d fallen asleep on the sofa cuddled up against said prat. He was a bloody masochist.</p><p>He had gone to look at a couple of places, but he really couldn’t get his head around the prices in London. What would have got him a mansion in Cardiff, wouldn’t get him a shoebox with a shared bathroom here – and a lot of his money was still tied up in the flat Edwin was currently occupying.</p><p>Neither Gwen or Arthur had said anything, of course, but then they were both very nice and polite and English; they probably just complained about him behind his back. </p><p>He sat up a bit straighter and stretched his back out. </p><p>“Are you going somewhere?” </p><p>Merlin yelped in surprise and nearly fell off his chair. “Arthur! I didn’t hear you come in.”</p><p>Arthur was dressed in running gear, again. Merlin did his best to look anywhere other than at Arthur’s lycra-clad body, flushed face and sweaty hair because no one should look so good like that. Merlin himself always looked like he was about to die when he came in from a run, why should Arthur get to look like a Greek god? </p><p>“I wasn’t exactly being quiet.” Arthur stretched himself out like a cat, making his t-shirt ride up exposing his taut stomach muscles. Merlin quickly looked back down at his laptop. </p><p>“I’m just looking for somewhere to live.” He very deliberately did not look up, but he was so very aware of Arthur bending over to touch his toes. Just one little peek would show him that glorious lycra-covered arse…</p><p>“Are you not happy living here?” Arthur stopped his stretches, opting instead to stand there with his head cocked to one side, a little frown line between his eyes, looking like Merlin just kicked his puppy. Kilgharrah stood beside him, mimicking his pose.</p><p>Merlin forced a smile. “I love living here, but it was only temporary. I’ve been here nearly two months. I don’t pay rent, I don’t pay towards the bills, I’m basically freeloading and to be honest, I’m not comfortable with that. I’m sure I must have already overstayed my welcome.”</p><p>Arthur shrugged. “I’ll tell you when you have. You’re not freeloading, we like having you here. You help out, you buy us food, you look after Alicia. You gave us a dog.” Arthur looked worried. “You’re not taking Kil away, are you?”</p><p>Ah, that explained it. Arthur wasn’t sad to see Merlin go, he was worried he’d lose the dog. </p><p>Merlin sighed and shook his head. “I can still take him to Mam’s if you want, Will’s back is better now, but even if I could find a flat that allowed pets, it would be cruel to keep a dog this size locked up like that.”</p><p>As though he knew he was being talked about, Kilgharrah walked over and put his head on Merlin’s knee, gazing up at him with big brown eyes. </p><p>Merlin rubbed the dog’s big head. “Don’t look at me like that, old boy, you know I love you. But I can’t take you with me.”</p><p>“So don’t go,” Arthur sounded almost plaintive. “You like being here, Kil would miss you, so would Alicia. And I’m pretty sure Gwen and I can learn to put up with you.” Arthur’s smile looked a little forced. “We could make you pay rent or something if it bothers you that much, or you could just spend that money on a proper pair of running shoes, the proper gear is more of an investment than a luxury you know. And you can babysit whenever you want, although you might need to fight Grandad Tom for that privilege – that man’s main goal in life is to spoil her rotten, I swear.”</p><p>Merlin laughed. “Just as well you’d never dream of doing such a thing, right? What about Grandad Uther?”</p><p>Arthur’s face darkened. “He doesn’t have much to do with her, I—” Arthur’s phone started ringing, cutting off whatever witty jibe he’d been about to make. </p><p>He looked at the display and frowned then walked out of the kitchen with the phone pressed to his ear. “You can’t keep calling me like this. No, I asked you to leave me alone. It’s never going to happen, Gareth, you have to stop.”</p><p>Merlin turned to Kilgharrah and raised an eyebrow. “Well, what do you think that was all about, eh?”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Save Weston Fire Station from closure! Go to the <i>Wake Up</i> website for more info <span class="x1F692">
      <span class="hide">(Fire Engine )</span>
    </span>
  </p><p>
      <span>#Westonfirestation</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 1.8k <span class="twTime"> 7:43 AM • March 18, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>769 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
“We could go for a run when you get home. We really need to get you fit in time for the race.”</p><p>“Arthur, how many more times…”</p><p>“Merlin, are you listening to me? You need to be there by now! You are throwing off the whole schedule!”</p><p>“So, you’re actually running, like, a whole marathon? You? This I gotta see.”</p><p>“Which turning am I meant to be taking? Anyone?”</p><p>“Will you all just shut up for a second!”</p><p>Silence. For at least ten seconds. </p><p>“Alright, tetchy.” Gwaine never could keep quiet for long.</p><p>Merlin had Arthur on the phone trying to talk to him about training schedules, Agravaine barking orders over Percy’s phone which was on speaker, Gwaine making inane comments from the passenger seat and Percy trying to navigate to the fire station in Somerset where they were supposed to be filming. It was seven in the morning and already this day was far too long.</p><p>Merlin consulted the old-fashioned road map on his knee. “Percy, you need to take the next turning for Wells, then first exit off the roundabout. Agravaine, we will call you back when we get there, your constant nagging is distracting the driver.” He leant over and hit the end call button. “Arthur, and Gwaine, if it will get you to shut up I’ll agree to run a bloody marathon dressed as a giant testicle!”</p><p>There was silence in the van for a few seconds more.</p><p>“A giant testicle?” Arthur attempted to sound outraged but he was clearly trying not to laugh. “To raise money for deaf children? I’m not sure that’s appropriate.”</p><p>“I thought it would match your everyday costume as a massive prick,” Merlin snarked back.</p><p>“Arthur has a massive prick?” Gwaine waggled his eyebrows.</p><p>“Shut it, Gwaine.”</p><p>“Hell but you’re cranky this morning, did Arthur not let you come or something?” </p><p>“I… What?” Merlin tried to ignore the way his voice squeaked. He really could not believe Gwaine had just said that. “Why would you even… no! I mean, that has nothing to do with Arthur!” </p><p>“Alright, Merls, don’t get your knickers in a twist.” They were all laughing at him now. Bastards.</p><p>“So, Bridget, are you going to be sliding down the fireman’s pole?” Arthur asked over the phone.</p><p>Merlin rolled his eyes and didn’t dignify that comment with a response. Honestly, he was Bridget Jones now? He prefered Ianto!”</p><p>“Aww, come on Bridget, talk to me!” Arthur weedled. </p><p>“I’ve got a pole he can slide down,” Gwaine chipped in. He turned to Merlin and put on what he probably thought was a seductive voice. “You can slide down my pole any time, babe.” </p><p>“I will not be sliding down any poles!” Merlin yelped, much to the hilarity of Gwaine and Percy. </p><p>There was a choking sound on the other end of the phone. Arthur never reacted well when Gwaine made jokes like that.</p><p>“The way I heard it, you spent most of last weekend sliding down Arthur’s,” Percy said, still laughing.</p><p>“What?” Merlin practically shouted. “I did nothing of the sort, why on earth would you say that?”</p><p>Percy shrugged. “That’s what Gwen said. Told us she got home to find you two sleeping together.”</p><p>“<i>Sleeping</i>! Actual sleep, as in we fell asleep on the sofa watching <i>Dr Who</i>. There were no… <i>poles</i>!”</p><p>Merlin’s indignation only seemed to make Gwaine and Percy laugh harder.</p><p>“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” Gwaine said.</p><p>“Actually, the quote is ‘The Lady doth protest too much, methinks’,” Arthur said from the other end of the phone. In his mortification he’d forgotten that Arthur was still there. Did he sound annoyed? Merlin couldn’t tell over all the laughing of the two overgrown children in the van with him.</p><p>“I’m not a lady.” </p><p>“Right you are, Bridget.”</p><p>“<i>That</i> is bloody sexist that is! Why don’t you go and do something useful, Mr laze around the house half the week. Some of us have actual work to do.” He hit the off button on his phone, cutting off Arthur insisting he worked ever so hard. “Oi, Percy! You’ve just gone past the Wells turning, we should have gone off there” Merlin told Percy who was too busy laughing at Merlin’s expense to notice. </p><p>“Do not make us late for the fit firefighters!” Gwaine sat up a bit straighter. “I was supposed to be off today, I only came in for the firefighters! I had to bribe Kara for this gig.”</p><p>“It’ll be fine, we can take the next exit.” Percy, as usual, was completely unbothered. Merlin suspected it would take a lot to upset Percy, and he wouldn’t like to be the one on the receiving end of his ire when it finally happened.</p><p>Percy was, of course, right. They made it to the fire station in plenty of time for the interview and Gwaine would get to flirt with as many firefighters as he liked of as many genders as he could find. </p><p>“Hi, did you get lost or something?” A firefighter who looked to be around her mid-thirties came out to meet the van as they drew up.</p><p>“Yeah, something like that, this eejit missed the turning. Hi, I’m Gwaine O’Conaill, by the way.” Gwaine turned his brightest smile on her as he jumped out of the van. </p><p>“Isolde Richards, Crew Manager. I was meant to be meeting someone called Merlin?”</p><p>“Yeah, hi, that’s me.” Merlin went over and shook her hand. “Sorry we’re late.”</p><p>“No bother, so long as we don’t get a call-out you’re fine.”</p><p>“Great, well, that’s something I can be completely unselfish in hoping it doesn’t happen.”</p><p>“Hey, if there is a call-out can we tag along?” Gwaine asked.</p><p>Isolde looked at him with a small frown then shook her head. “No, of course not. You wouldn’t be insured and it would be a gross invasion of privacy to the people we were there to help. Besides, I thought your story was about saving the firestation?”</p><p>“Ah well, it was just a thought,” Gwaine said, rubbing the back of his neck. </p><p>“Gwaine, why don’t you go and help Percy get the stuff out of the van while I talk to Isolde?” Merlin said. Gwaine getting carried away whilst showing off to someone he fancied was hardly a new thing.</p><p>“Well, I would hardly like to leave the lovely lady in your somewhat dubious company. You’re probably allergic to her, or you’ll go and drown or something.”</p><p>“Just as well I’m trained in lifesaving then, isn’t it?” Isolde gave him a bright smile and then turned back to Merlin.</p><p>“I take it these are the vultures circling then?” A gruff-looking man walked out of the building and glared at the three <i>Wake Up</i> crew. </p><p>“Vultures?” Merlin blinked uncertainly.</p><p>“Yes, vultures, isn’t that what journalists do? Circle around a disaster, picking off juicy stories.”</p><p>“Tristan…” Isolde said with a sigh. “They are here to help with the petition to save the station, they are on our side.”</p><p>“No, they are here to get a story, they don’t actually care about our little fire station, or about the people affected by it’s closure.”</p><p>Isolde turned back to Merlin and Gwaine with a tight smile. “Please excuse my husband, he’s taken this rather personally.”</p><p>“Husband?” Gwaine looked rather crestfallen.</p><p>Tristan smirked at Gwaine and raised an eyebrow. “Tristan Richards, Station Manager.”</p><p>“Gwaine O’Conaill, nice to meet you. I don’t suppose the two of you have ever considered a threeso…  Actually… I… er… I think I’d better go and give Percy a hand setting up.”</p><p>“Um, sorry about him,” Merlin said. “He’s actually a really good guy when you get to know him, but I think the idea of so many firefighters in one place might have broken him.”</p><p>Isolde laughed. “He wouldn’t be the first I suppose. Shall we?” She led the way inside so they could conduct their interview.</p><p>“So, can Merlin here have a go on your pole?” Gwaine asked once the interviews were done.</p><p>Tristan continued to look unimpressed. “I know you have the reputation for being a little gimmicky, but I was under the impression this was a serious interview?”</p><p>“Gimmicky?” Merlin tried, and completely failed to keep the hurt out of his voice. </p><p>“Yes, I saw you last week, covered in snow. It was completely unnecessary. And that thing with the cat up the tree.”</p><p>Merlin nodded. “Whilst I agree the snow thing was a bad idea, I assure you it was not mine, and I personally could have really done without it. As for the cat, what was I supposed to do, leave it there?”</p><p>“I thought rescuing cats from trees was more your sort of thing anyway,” Gwaine said. “Shouldn’t you be offering him a job or something?”</p><p>“Gwaine, shut up,” Percy said. Surprisingly, Gwaine listened.</p><p>“Look, we have no intention of filming me or anyone else going down the firepole, Gwaine thinks he’s funny. They’ve been calling me Bridget Jones all morning,” Merlin tried to explain.</p><p>Tristan huffed. “So this really is all just a joke to you?”</p><p>“No! Look, this story is important, we know that. It’s me they were laughing at, not you.”</p><p>“Well then, glad to know Pendragon Media sent us such a highly respected reporter.” Tristan crossed his arms over his chest. “I really don’t know what else I’d have expected from the likes of Uther Pendragon.”</p><p>“Tristan, stop it.” Isolde swatted her husband across the arm. “It’s not Merlin’s fault you don’t like his boss.”</p><p>“I…” Tristan started.</p><p>“No. I’ve had enough of this. I’m taking these three inside for a cup of tea, and then I’m going to let them slide down the pole. And you are going to put a smile on that grumpy old face and put the kettle on.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Merlin was starting to enjoy spending his evenings with Arthur and Alicia. Gwen was easy to get along with and had very quickly become one of his favourite people in the world, but his initial impression of Arthur as a stuck-up prat was turning out to be completely wrong.</p><p>Gwen, clearly being the more gregarious member of the little family, was quite often invited out to various events, leaving Merlin and Arthur to babysit. Despite Merlin’s reassurances that he and Alicia would be fine if Arthur wanted to go too, Arthur seemed happy to sit in and watch kids films followed by Dr Who.</p><p>It was all terribly domestic and probably boring to outside eyes, and Merlin loved every minute of it. Curled up on the sofa, falling asleep listening to Arthur’s running commentary on the episode, he could pretend that they were a couple and he really was part of this family.</p><p>“I love John Barrowman in this,” Arthur was saying while Merlin’s eyes were drifting shut. “I think he was the first male celebrity I really allowed myself to admit I fancied.”</p><p>Merlin’s eyes were suddenly very much not closed. He sat up slightly and looked at Arthur.</p><p>“What?” Arthur paused, glass of wine halfway to his lips. “He was hot! Even now as a silver fox, Barrowman is a good looking man!”</p><p>Merlin glanced back at the telly where said actor was running away from daleks. “Yeah, he’s not bad.”</p><p>Arthur huffed. “Not bad?” He poked Merlin in the ribs. “Not bad? I admitted to myself I was bi for that man!”</p><p>Merlin froze. Arthur was bi? Well, to be fair, his previous comments should have keyed Merlin in on that, but to actually hear him say so…</p><p>He quickly shook himself out of it. What did it matter if Arthur was bi, he was still with Gwen. </p><p>“So, late bloomer then? I mean, you must have been what, in your early twenties when this was first broadcast?” He did his best to sound nonchalant, like the news of Arthur being bi wasn’t news at all.</p><p>Arthur knocked back the rest of his wine and reached for the bottle. “It’s not like I didn’t know before that. I mean, I spent a lot of my teenage years thinking it was ok, I couldn’t be gay because I liked girls, and then freaking out over how much I fancied Ryan Giggs. Living with my father, everything was very proscribed – had to get top marks in the subjects he decreed, go to a top University, come to work at Pendragon, marry someone like Elena, have 2.4 children, you know the drill.”</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “Not really. My Mam’s nothing like that, she only ever wanted me to be happy. I mean, she hated my last boyfriend, but that was because he’s a bastard, nothing to do with his gender. I thought he was a good person underneath, a misunderstood soul who’d had a hard life. She saw a human leech. I should have listened to her” He shook his head. “Sorry, let’s not talk about Edwin, we were talking about you.”</p><p> Arthur handed Merlin another glass of wine. “I actually think Father would have coped with me being gay better; he can get his head around definites, gay, straight, at least it’s picking a side. I mean, he’s <i>mostly</i> fine with Morgana being a lesbian, but not me being bi. Although Morgana really can do no wrong as far as he is concerned. I’m sure he’d be a better grandfather to a child of hers than he is to Alicia – no making snide comments behind Morgana’s back. But anyway, back to the point, my being neither completely gay nor completely straight seems too much for him to cope with. He seems to think I get to choose who I fall in love with, and should therefore chose to be straight.”</p><p>“Well, you’re still the B in LGBTQ+.”</p><p>Arthur gave a bitter laugh. “I honestly think he thinks I just date men to spite him. I dated a girl called Sofia all through Uni, then when I was doing my masters and I’d finally accepted that gender didn’t matter much to me, I fell for my roommate, and well, pictures got into the papers. By the time Father got his head around it, Pravit had gone back to Bangladesh and I was dating Vivian – yes, that Vivian, don’t judge. I think he thought everything was perfect, Pravit had just been a phase and Viv was exactly the sort of girl he wanted me to marry. Then the next thing he knew, Gwen was having my baby and we stubbornly refused to get married at all… I think he gave up on me.” Arthur shrugged then started laughing. “Serves him right.”</p><p>“Gwen said you don’t believe in marriage?”</p><p>Arthur shook his head. “It seems like a rather outdated practice to me. I don’t need to own someone, I certainly don’t want to be owned. What’s the point of a silly band on your finger or a bit of paper just to show the world you love someone?”</p><p>“Wow, that is a really jaded view. It’s not about owning someone, it’s more about partnership, belonging to each other, tackling life together and all that.”</p><p>“Never had you down for such a romantic. But what about the inevitable fallout and bitter recriminations? People waste all their money on some lavish ceremony that ultimately signals the end of the relationship. Marriage doesn’t seem to make anyone happy in my experience. My parents’ marriage was brief and bitter, whatever spin Uther might put on it now she’s gone. My uncle has told me all the tales of how miserable my father made my mother.”</p><p>“But surely it’s important to show the person you love that you are committed to them?”</p><p>“There you go again, fairytale nonsense. Marriage doesn’t prove anything, people still cheat, people still divorce. Morgana is living proof that my father cheated on my mother, the woman he was supposed to be madly in love with.”</p><p>Merlin sighed and changed the subject, not liking to hear Arthur so jaded. “So you’ve only ever dated one bloke?”</p><p>“Properly dated, yes. There have been others, but nothing serious. What about you, ever dated a woman?”</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “I’ve known I was gay since forever. Apparently when I was four I told my Mam I was going to marry Morten Harket from A-Ha.”</p><p>“I bet you left broken hearts all over Wales and then moved here to do the same in England.”</p><p>Merlin snorted. “Ha ha, you’re hilarious.”</p><p>Arthur looked at him, far too earnest for comfort. “I really don’t see how anyone could let you go without getting their heart broken.”</p><p>Merlin swallowed, seeming very loud. “Well, I was even more geeky and skinny than this at school and all through Uni, so I wasn’t exactly beating them off with a stick. I’ve only really ever had one proper long-term boyfriend, we were together for nearly six years.”</p><p>“Edwin?” Arthur asked.</p><p>Merlin nodded.</p><p>“Do you want to talk about him?” </p><p>Merlin shook his head, then sighed, changed his mind, and nodded. “Edwin was… well, I thought he was the love of my life. He was charming, clever, funny. He’s a bit older than me, and so much more experienced in everything. We met when I first started working at <i>Bore Da</i>, I couldn’t believe that someone like him would be interested in me. I thought he… well, let’s just say he wasn’t who I thought he was.”</p><p>“In what way?”</p><p>“He lost his parents in a house fire when he was young, a neighbour rescued him. I thought he needed someone to love him, to see past the scars. Turns out, he needed someone to put down, belittle and humiliate. He cheated on me nearly the whole time we were together, and I was too stupid to even realise till the end. He made me feel worthless, ugly, unlikable and stupid. I couldn’t do anything right. Leaving him was the hardest thing I ever did, but the distance made me see him for who he is. Our relationship was poison, it’s taken me a while to get over it.” In fact, it was only whilst he was saying this that Merlin realised he was actually finally getting over Edwin. He hadn’t even heard the voice in his head for weeks.</p><p>“You do know none of that is your fault though, don’t you?” Arthur took Merlin’s hand in his and laced their fingers together. “You do know that you are not worthless, or ugly or stupid. You have brought so much to <i>Wake Up</i> since you started. Everyone loves you. And you are beautiful.”</p><p>It didn’t even occur to Merlin to stop Arthur as he leant in and pressed their mouths together. Instead he met the kiss and deepened it, letting everything that was Arthur wash over him, through him. The warm feel of his lips, the smell of his skin, the slight stubble ticking his mouth. </p><p>The sound of a key in the front door made them pull apart. Reality came crashing back down around Merlin.</p><p>Gwen. </p><p>Kind, lovely Gwen. </p><p>Merlin had just kissed her partner, what sort of person did that make him? She’d taken him in when he was homeless, included him in her life, her family… what had he been thinking?</p><p>She stuck her head round the door. “Hi guys, night guys!” She waved and left again. Had she seen their reddened lips? Did she know what they’d been up to?</p><p>“I… er… I think I’d better turn in too. Night, Arthur.” He turned and fled, ignoring Arthur calling his name.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
It felt awkward, going into work with Gwen the next morning. Her boyfriend had kissed him, he’d kissed back. He was the worst person in the world.</p><p>It felt even more awkward, sitting on the sofa next to Arthur in the evening. He could feel Arthur’s warmth, sense Arthur looking at him out of the corner of his eye… It couldn’t happen again, Merlin wouldn’t let it.</p><p>Arthur was sitting forward, talking about the episode. “See where he’s lost his hand? You need to remember that, I won’t say too much, spoilers, but it’s an important plot device for <i>Torchw—</i>” His phone rang and he frowned at it a moment before hitting reject and turning back to the telly. A few seconds later, it rang again. He sighed and walked out of the room to answer it.</p><p>“Gareth, I asked you to stop calling me… who’s this?”</p><p>A few minutes later, Arthur came back. “I have to go out, will you two be alright?” </p><p>Merlin nodded. “Of course, Alicia will keep an eye on me and make sure I don’t get up to anything.”</p><p>He followed Arthur out of the room and shut the door. “Is everything ok?”</p><p>Arthur gave him a tight smile. “Someone I know has been in an accident, he’s in surgery. I don’t know why they called me. I need to go.”</p><p>“Alicia will be fine, I doubt she’ll even wake up. You go. I hope your friend is ok.”</p><p>Arthur opened his mouth to say something else but clearly thought better of it. He nodded and then squeezed Merlin’s arm before disappearing into the night.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Arthur still wasn’t home by eleven when Gwen and Lance got back. </p><p>Merlin debated going down to find out if they’d heard from Arthur, but he couldn’t because it might make him look a bit weird and clingy and then she might realise how he felt about Arthur, and then she might know that he’d kissed Arthur, and that would be embarrassing and he really would have to move out. </p><p>He didn’t hear Arthur come home in the end, he must have dozed off waiting. At about oneish he thought he heard someone in the kitchen and went down. Arthur was sat at the kitchen table with a glass and a nearly empty bottle of whisky. A worried looking Kilgharrah had his head on Arthur’s knee.</p><p>“Arthur?”</p><p>“Leave me alone, Merlin.” Arthur didn’t look up, just carried on drinking. “I’m not a good person, you don’t need another Edwin in your life.”</p><p>“You’re nothing like Edwin.” Merlin sat down and gently took the glass from Arthur’s hand and downed the remainder of the whisky, pulling a face as he did. Why did people drink this muck? “Edwin is a manipulative arsehole who likes to make other people feel small so he can feel big.”</p><p>Arthur took the glass back and refilled it, pushing the now-empty bottle away. “Yeah, and I’m the sort of arsehole who leads people on and then doesn’t listen to what is clearly a plea for help. I’m the sort of arsehole who nearly gets people killed.” He tipped the glass back and downed it in one before Merlin could take it from him again.</p><p>“Arthur, look at me.”</p><p>The eyes that finally met Merlin’s were not the bright happy eyes of the man who had kissed him. They were the eyes of a man who’d seen the world end.</p><p>“Arthur, you are a good person. Whatever has happened, I’m sure it’s not your fault.”</p><p>“What would you know? You thought Edwin was a good person.”</p><p>Merlin flinched. Damn but Arthur knew how to stick the knife in. “Right, well, then I guess I must have learnt something.”</p><p>“I’ve hurt someone, Merlin. I hurt him and he nearly died. And it’s all my fault.” Arthur’s face crumpled and he quickly looked away.</p><p>“Well, at least you care. Arthur, Edwin wouldn’t have cared. You are not him, I promise you. Now, do you want to tell me about it, or do you want to sleep it off?”</p><p>“I… I thought I was doing the right thing. I swear, I never meant to lead him on. I thought he would get over it, move on to someone his own age. I thought… fuck. It doesn't matter what I thought. He tried to kill himself. Because of me. Because I couldn’t just <i>listen</i>… he wrapped his car around a tree, completely off his skull on god knows what.”</p><p>Without even thinking, Merlin put his arms around Arthur. “Oh Arthur, I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“His dad wouldn’t let me see him. He blames me, and he’s right to. He’s just a kid, I should have listened. I could have got him help or done <i>something</i>.”</p><p>Merlin wasn’t sure how long he sat in the cold kitchen, holding Arthur till he wore himself out. </p><p>“Come on, let’s get you to bed,” he said at last.</p><p>Arthur was unsteady on his feet as Merlin guided him up the stairs. </p><p>When Arthur stood staring at the bed like he’d never seen one before, Merlin sighed and started helping him out of his clothes.</p><p>“This isn’t my room,” Arthur mumbled as he lifted his arms in a docile manner to help get his top off.</p><p>“No, it’s my room, I didn’t think it would be fair to wake Gwen,” Merlin whispered back. “Don’t worry, I’ll sleep downstairs on the sofa.”</p><p>He manoeuvred Arthur into a pair of his own pyjamas, which just about fitted, and guided him down into the bed. </p><p>“Now, promise me you’re not going to choke on your own vomit or anything during the night,” Merlin whispered, tucking the duvet around Arthur. </p><p>He assumed Arthur was already asleep when he got no response, so he reached over to pinch a spare pillow.   </p><p>“Stay.” Arthur grabbed his hand. “Please? I don’t want to be on my own.”</p><p>Merlin took one look and nodded, slipping under the covers. After a moment’s hesitation, he pulled Arthur to him and held him till his breathing evened out.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Arthur had gone by the time Merlin woke and, unsurprisingly, he didn’t show for Merlin’s very early run with Kilgharrah.</p><p>By the time Merlin got back, Arthur was sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee. He looked like hell, face pale, large dark circles under his eyes. The make-up team were going to hate him for the amount of extra work they’d need to get him camera ready.</p><p>“How are you feeling?” Merlin quickly poured himself a coffee. He just had time to drink it before heading up to shower and change. </p><p>Arthur rubbed a hand across his face. “I’m fine, Merlin. Everything is fine.”</p><p>“Are you sure? You don’t look—”</p><p>“Just leave it.”</p><p>“But you could call in sick…”</p><p>“I said I’m fine. Are you nearly ready to go?” </p><p>Arthur knew damn well that Merlin wasn’t ready, but rather than argue Merlin just rolled his eyes and carried his coffee upstairs. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he bumped into Lancelot coming out of one of the bedrooms. </p><p>“Morning!” Lance whispered, grinning before making his way downstairs like this was a perfectly normal state of affairs. </p><p>Lance and Arthur were chatting quietly over coffee when Merlin made it back downstairs, washed and suited. </p><p>“Want me to drive?” he asked, again noticing the dark smudges under Arthur’s eyes. He was pretty sure Arthur was probably still under the influence from last night.</p><p>To his surprise, Arthur only hesitated a moment before nodding and pushing his car keys over towards Merlin. “Thanks.”</p><p>It was an awkward journey into the studio. Merlin didn’t want to push Arthur, assuming that if he wanted to talk he would, but at the same time, he didn’t want Arthur to think he didn’t care.</p><p>“Any news on your friend?” he asked at last, hoping it wasn’t the wrong question.</p><p>Arthur didn’t answer, staring at his hands in his lap instead. Eventually, when they were nearly at work and Merlin had accepted the silence in the car, Arthur sighed.</p><p>“He tried to kill himself.”</p><p>Merlin risked taking his eyes off the road for a second to glance sideways at Arthur. </p><p>“But tried, not succeeded? And you, are you alright?”</p><p>Arthur nodded. “He… it’s all my fault….” </p><p>After that Arthur clammed up and refused to speak again.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“Merlin?” Finna walked through to Editorial and smiled at him in a strange fashion that managed to look both guilty and apologetic at the same time.</p><p>“Hi Finna, what have I done wrong now?” He grinned back to show he was only joking, or at least, he hoped he was only joking.</p><p>“Well, I’m not going to ask what you kept that man of yours up doing so late last night, but he does look like death warmed up this morning so yes, maybe it is your fault.”</p><p>“Man of mine?” He blinked, clearly having missed some memo or joke or something. He looked down at his empty coffee mug, wishing Finna would go away so he could magic it full. “What man would that be then? Please don’t say George, because if it’s George you can have him back.”</p><p>Finna snorted and then glanced round to make sure no one had heard her. “I really should remind you about the company policy on bullying, shouldn’t I?”</p><p>“It’s not bullying! I put up with a lot from that man, just yesterday he droned on at me for two hours straight about the best way to polish a Sousaphone, and I didn’t tell him to shut up once.”</p><p>“No, but you did have earphones in, you don’t fool me, Merlin.” She reached out and flicked at the headphones currently dangling around his neck. </p><p>“Er…” He grinned. “Well he thought I was listening, that’s the important bit, right?”</p><p>She rolled her eyes and suppressed a grin. “Anyway, back to more important issues. I can’t possibly put Arthur in front of the camera this morning, he’s in no fit state. He’s currently sitting in his office staring out the window like all the answers are going to fall from the clouds. I’m not going to pry.” She held her hands up like he was about to accuse her of doing just that.</p><p>He shook his head. “He got some bad news about a friend. Is there no one else who can present this morning?”</p><p>She gave him a very pointed look, one eyebrow raised. “Well there is one person, yes.”</p><p>He really didn’t like that gleam in her eye and found himself rolling backwards slightly in his chair. “Leon? Leon’s great, and very professional, I’m sure he’d come in if you gave him a call.”</p><p>Finna shook her head. “Leon’s away for the weekend, he’d never get here in time.”</p><p>“Well what about Gwen? Gwen and Mith would make a great team!” He gave a nervous laugh.</p><p>Finna gave a very loud sigh. “You know as well as I do that Gwen will be taking her daughter to school. And, before you try, Elena is at Arsenal football ground, Mordred is in Manchester, Morgana is in LA, Floridel is in Aberdeen, George has that competition he was polishing his Sousaphone for, which you would have known about if you’d been listening, and Hector doesn’t work Fridays. I could let poor Mithian host the whole show on her own, or I could give you the kick up the bum you deserve and send you down to wardrobe and make up this instant. Now get going.”</p><p>She put her hands on her hips and glared at him till he got up from his chair. “If you can’t do it for me, do it for Arthur.” Well that was a low blow, wasn’t it?   </p><p>Most people would consider Merlin lucky. Getting to sit on the Camelot red sofa for three hours and present the show was viewed as a pinnacle of breakfast television reporting. Merlin considered it a job he never ever intended to have to do if he could help it. Give him wandering around the country with Percy and Gwaine rather than the unmoving centre of attention any day, ta.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Uh-oh, guess who’s playing at presenting the show today. It’s Mithian I feel sorry for!</p><p>
      <span>#presenting #bad_idea</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 1.2k <span class="twTime"> 6:13 AM • March 24, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>200 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p>By the time he came out of hair and make up he was… shiny. They’d put him in one of Arthur’s suits, because apparently his own wasn’t good enough, with many many pins to make it fit him better and instructions to keep his feet behind the desk so no one could see the trousers were too short. They’d put product on his hair, and it was currently attempting to lie flat against his head – he knew for a fact that it would be its usual mess by the end of the show but he didn’t bother telling them that in case they put even more gloop on him. And then there was his face, which was apparently unsuitable without make-up. The finished result in the mirror looked more like one of those creepy ventriloquist’s dolls than him.</p><p>Every time he moved, he got jabbed in the side by pins, but even so he managed to surreptitiously clean his face up a bit when no one was looking and ran his hands through his hair so he looked slightly more like himself. Even so, Mithian raised an eyebrow when she saw him. </p><p>“Sorry, I was told the real Merlin was presenting with me this morning, not some mannequin made up to look like him.”</p><p>He stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed.</p><p>“You can ask the make up department to stop, you know.”</p><p>Merlin forced himself to smile. “With a bit of luck, no one will recognise me.”</p><p>“Five minutes to air!” one of the runners called out. </p><p>Merlin did his best to squash his feelings of apprehension. He’d really hoped he’d have time to check on Arthur, but instead he was being pushed over to the dreaded sofa while a hundred different instructions were barked at him, none of which he was likely to remember.</p><p>“And rolling in 3, 2, 1…” Finna called.</p><p>“Good Morning and welcome to <i>Wake Up Camelot</i>!” Mithian started with well-practiced grace.</p><p>“A very happy Friday to all of you!” Merlin read off the autocue with a grin on his face that felt painfully artificial.</p><p>“As you can see, I have a brand new co-host, just for today. Makes a big improvement on Arthur, I have to be honest.” The big smile on Mithian’s face took the sting out of her words. “But seriously, hope you’re feeling better soon, Arthur!”</p><p>Merlin gave the link to the news and Mithian gave him a big grin. </p><p>“You can relax the smile a little,” she said. “I mean, don’t sit there looking grumpy or anything, but only Viv can get away with that manic smile all morning.”</p><p>He groaned. “This is really hard, how do you do it all the time?” </p><p>“It’s not hard really, it’s mostly just reading off autocue. What you do is hard – swimming in the freezing sea, rescuing cats and dogs, becoming a living snowman. Give me a nice warm studio any day.”</p><p>Merlin settled into his new role as the morning went on. After the news they interviewed Julius Borden, a man who was famously caught and jailed for trying to steal an ancient Celtic artifact from Camelot Museum. Now he had his freedom once more, he’d written a book about it. </p><p>“So, the Triskelion was reputedly worth over a million pounds, is that right?” Mithian asked, carefully masking her dislike of the man so anyone who didn’t know her would think he was her best friend.</p><p>“As one piece, yes. But the part in the Camelot Museum was actually only a third of it, so really it wasn’t worth that much.”</p><p>“But you’d already stolen the other two parts, hadn’t you?” Merlin said. He pretended to check his notes. “One from a private collection in New York and another from an archaeological dig in Ireland.”</p><p>Borden smiled in a way that suggested he thought he was very clever indeed. “Yes, and now the entire piece is in the museum, so really they owe me for making their exhibit complete.”</p><p>Merlin sighed and shook his head. There would be no reasoning with Borden, he would never think he was anything less than perfect. </p><p>“So, the book is about the Triskelion itself?” Mithian tried to steer the subject back around to safer territory.</p><p>Borden nodded. “Yes, the Triskelion and the mythology surrounding it. And of course the skill it took to locate and acquire the parts. Also, and this is a <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> exclusive…” he sat forward and flashed a high wattage smile straight down the camera lens, “I found evidence of the existence of a Dragon Egg!”</p><p>Merlin laughed. “Surely there is no such thing.” He did his best to keep calm and keep his face and voice disbelieving. His Tad had always claimed dragons existed, and the quest for Dragon Eggs had been an obsession of his. Unlike Borden, however, Merlin’s Tad had been interested in the Dragons, not the money. If Borden had found a real egg it couldn’t be a good thing.</p><p>After Borden they cut to Floridel in Aberdeen talking to a lottery winner, and then to George in Cheltenham, complete with Sousaphone, at the Brass Band Championships which he was apparently part of. </p><p>“Welcome back!” Merlin said after the next news broadcast. Now, let’s head over to the Emirates Stadium where Elena is talking to Ivan… um…” he blinked at the autocue and then looked over at Mithian for help because he had no clue how to pronounce the name on the screen. It was long, and probably Eastern European. Why hadn’t they warned him? If he got this wrong he was going to offend everyone in the known universe. “Pre-o-brass-hen-ski” he said with a wince. Bloody hell, he’d probably get branded as racist now for getting someone’s name wrong, and then he’d never work in television again and would have to go and get a job working for Rupert Murdoch on one of his right-wing rags.</p><p>“Yes, I’m here with Ivan Preobrazhensky, the Arsenal Goalie.” Elena did not try to keep the laughter from her voice. “Ivan, our Merlin is a huge football fan as I’m sure you can tell.”</p><p>“Come over to Wales sometime and I’ll let you try to pronounce Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch,” Merlin replied with a laugh, hoping he’d get away with it.</p><p>“Alright, no need to show off!” Elena said, rolling her eyes. “Let’s get back to more important things, like football, shall we?”</p><p>He sat back while Elena’s interview rolled and shook his head. “That went well then,” he said to Mithian. </p><p>She grinned. “How have you not heard of Preobrazhensky? Everyone’s heard of him.”</p><p>“Well clearly not me!”</p><p>Back in the studio they interviewed a woman who illustrated children’s books, and then over to Manchester where Mordred spoke to a couple with fifteen children. Morgana’s interview with Al Pacino was brilliant and Vivian did a weather segment about the vernal equinox.</p><p>Daniel Myror, Chief Executive of Mercia Music Inc. was probably the most interesting guest, at least as far as Merlin was concerned. They had a good talk about the changing face of the music industry and various new acts he was signing up. Finally, they went back to Cheltenham to talk to George at the Brass Band Championships one last time.</p><p>And then Merlin was free. He felt exhausted, even more so than after a training session with Arthur.</p><p>“Please can someone get these pins out of me?” he begged as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. The pins wardrobe had used as a last minute fix to get Arthur’s suit to fit him currently felt like they were trying to dig out his kidneys.</p><p>“You did really well, Merlin!” Finna came over with a big smile.</p><p>“What, you mean the way I’d never heard of some football player who is apparently really famous? I always assumed the anchors got warned about names they might struggle to pronounce.”</p><p>Finna wrinkled her nose. “Well, as you said, we assumed he was famous enough that everyone had heard of him. I’m sure we’ll get complaints, but never mind, it’s done now and for a last minute stand in I think you did well.”</p><p>Merlin yelped as a young man from the wardrobe department stuck him with yet another pin. “Can you please stop trying to torture me?”</p><p>“Is that my suit?” Only Arthur could look like heaven and hell at the same time. The bags under his eyes had, if anything, grown darker, only emphasised by how pale his face was in the harsh studio lighting. His hair was a dishevelled mess, not in a rakish sort of way like when he’d been working and running his fingers through it, and not in an adorable just got out of bed or a sexy just been for a run way – and yes, Merlin had thought all these things about Arthur in the recent past, stop judging him.</p><p>“Merlin, why don’t you take Arthur home,” Finna said, watching Arthur with a worried frown. </p><p>Merlin opened his mouth to point out that he actually had work to do, but then he looked at Arthur and found himself nodding. He could always work from home. He wasn’t even sure why Arthur had come in today.</p><p>“Yeah, come on, mate, let’s get you back to bed. Well, as soon as I’ve got this suit off anyway.” The guy from wardrobe started to giggle and one of the cameramen snorted and another waggled his eyebrows at them. “Yeah, very funny guys.” Merlin rolled his eyes at them as he made his way down to wardrobe now the worst of the pins were out.  </p><p>“You did really well today,” Arthur said once they were back in the car and heading home. “I’m sorry for throwing you in at the deep ends like that, I thought a cup of strong coffee and I’d be ok. Finna disagreed, and as you probably discovered this morning, you don’t really say no to Finna.”</p><p>Merlin shrugged. “She probably had a point, you shouldn’t even have come in this morning.”</p><p>Arthur sighed and rested his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes. “I should probably go back up the hospital to check on Gareth.”</p><p>“You two must be pretty close.”</p><p>Arthur didn’t reply for ages and Merlin was starting to think he must have finally fallen asleep. </p><p>“Not exactly,” Arthur said at last, just as Merlin was taking the turning for Camelot Village. </p><p>“What?”</p><p>“We’re not friends. Me and Gareth. Not really. He was an intern, a few years ago; his father is an associate of my father’s. I took him under my wing, tried to help him. I know what it’s like to have a successful, domineering father, and I could tell Gareth was struggling. But Gareth read too much into it, he thought there was more between us, convinced himself he was in love with me. No matter what I did, what I said, that he’s too young, I think of him more like a little brother, we’re not well suited… he’s never let it drop. I guess I should have handled it better.”</p><p>“These things are easy to say in hindsight.” Merlin pulled the car into Arthur’s driveway. “I’m not sure how any of us would handle a situation like that.”</p><p>“I think I was flattered at first. It felt sort of nice to be hero-worshipped, you know? He probably thought I was encouraging him. Then, when I realised he wanted more, I just sort of pushed him away. I wasn’t always even nice. I’m such a twat, I should have seen where it was going, I should have helped. This is all my fault. He nearly died last night. I fucked up!”</p><p>“Stop it, Arthur! You can’t expect yourself to be perfect, you didn’t know he was going to do something like this. What about his father, where was he?”</p><p>“Lot thinks Gareth is weak, his words not mine. He hated that Gareth had these feelings for another man. He never helped him, and I knew that, and I still did nothing.”</p><p>“What were you supposed to do? Lead him on? Let him think you two had a future? That would hardly have been fair.”</p><p>“I could have done something!” Arthur smacked his fist into the car door. “I did nothing, I didn’t even talk to him, or let him talk to me. I ignored him. I’m as bad as my father.”</p><p>“What’s done is done, what is important is how you move forward. Gareth needs help, but maybe now he is in a place where he can get that help.”</p><p>“So what, you think it’s a good thing that he tried to commit suicide? Is that what you are trying to tell me?”</p><p>“I didn’t say that!” Merlin ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “But he’ll get therapy now, and he clearly needs it. It’s not up to you to fix him, Arthur. It’s up to the professionals.”</p><p>“So what, I should just abandon him? Again? Great fucking plan, Merlin.”</p><p>“No, I didn’t say that!” Merlin said again. “But maybe your presence won’t help at the moment, it’ll just confuse him and give him false hope. You need to work out if you want to be there for his sake or yours.”</p><p>“So now I’m selfish?” Arthur folded his arms and glared at Merlin.</p><p>“Isn’t everyone? We are all selfish, even when we try to help. I’m just saying, give him some space. Maybe talk to someone, his doctor, I don’t know, ask them what’s best. Just don’t take it all on yourself. This doesn’t sound like it’s your fault, Arthur. His obsession with you is more like a symptom of an underlying problem that was there long before he met you.”</p><p>Arthur sighed and opened the car door. “Maybe you’re right. I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore. I’m going to take Kil out for a run, on my own, I need to clear my head.” Arthur climbed out of the car and headed into the house without looking back at Merlin.</p><p>Merlin sighed and headbutted the steering wheel. Nice one, Merlin. That went well.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“I’m sorry.” </p><p>Merlin looked up from his laptop to find Arthur standing in his room, freshly showered and changed and looking anywhere but straight at Merlin.</p><p>He sat back in his chair and stretched. “It’s ok,” he said, studying Arthur’s face.</p><p>Arthur nodded, still looking at the opposite wall, and turned to go.</p><p>“Is that it?” Merlin asked, not ready to let Arthur off the hook so easily.</p><p>Finally, Arthur’s eyes snapped to his. “I said I’m sorry. What more do you want?” </p><p>Merlin shook his head and sighed. “Have you heard anything about Gareth?” </p><p>Arthur carried on staring at him, almost as though now he’d finally looked at Merlin he was now incapable of looking away.</p><p>“Why do you care? You don’t even know him.”</p><p>Merlin shrugged. “But I do know you. And I know how badly this has affected you, so, if you need a friend to talk to, you know where to find me.”</p><p>One of those beautiful smiles that made the world light up graced Arthur’s face. Not the million watt smile that he turned on every morning for the camera, not the Mr Wonderful smile he wore for the fans, and not the shit-eating grin that said he was never ever going to let up, but the genuine, honest smile that he reserved for his friends and family, the one that made him look vulnerable and young. And Merlin realised right then and there that if he was now at the stage of cataloguing Arthur’s smiles then he was completely smitten and there was now no hope for him in the world.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Big Breakfast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
</p><p>
  <br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Arthur Pendragon <span class="twVerified">✔</span></span>
    </p><p>
      <span>
        <span class="twHandle">@wakeuparthur</span>
      </span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Not an April Fool! He is definitely running.</p></div><div class="twBody twEmbed">
<p></p><div class="twUserEmbed"><p>
        
        <span>Merlin Emrys<span class="twVerifiedEmbed">✔</span><span class="twHandleEmbed">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
      </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Contrary to rumour, I will not be running the London Marathon! Arthur, however, actually is running, so donations still appreciated.</p><p><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span></p>
<p></p><div class="twBody twEmbed">
<p></p><div class="twUserEmbed"><p>
            
            <span>Arthur Pendragon<span class="twVerifiedEmbed">✔</span><span class="twHandleEmbed">@wakeuparthur</span></span>
          </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Pleased to announce that Merlin Emrys, <span>@wakeupmerlin</span>, will be joining me in the London Marathon this year! Donations can be made at the <span><i>Wake Up!</i> website</span> for the National Deaf Children Society.<br/>
<span>#londonmarathon #nationaldeafchildrensociety</span></p></div></div><div class="twText"><p>
          <span> #rumour #lies #marathon #pratpendragon #aprilfool </span><br/>
</p></div></div></div><div class="twText"><p>
      <span>#londonmarathon #nationaldeafchildrensociety #merlinisdefinitelyrunning</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 6.9k <span class="twTime"> 3:19 PM • April 1, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>4.2k people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
<br/>
Arthur still hadn’t given up on pushing Merlin into running. Despite Merlin’s protests, he had actually managed to secure him a place in the line-up for the marathon and now was getting more bossy than ever.</p><p>“Come on, Merlin, put your back into it! You’re never going to be ready at this rate!”</p><p>Arthur had turned and was running backwards down the path so he could shout at Merlin lagging quite a bit behind. Kilgharrah went bounding past on a squirrel quest and Merlin stopped to collapse onto the grass.</p><p>“Just let me lie here and die a moment.”</p><p>“You can’t stop now! Come on, get up, your muscles will seize if you lie there.” Arthur jogged back over and hauled Merlin up by the arm. “It’s all about discipline, Merlin! You have to run through the pain. Let’s get going!”</p><p>By the time they got back to the house, Merlin’s legs felt like jelly, and even Kilgharrah seemed to be wiped out. Arthur made him go through a proper cool down routine before he would let him go and get ready for work and he barely had time to grab a coffee before heading upstairs.</p><p>Still a little damp from the shower, he met Arthur outside, gratefully accepting a travel mug of coffee. </p><p>“I finally got through to Gareth last night.” Arthur said as he started the engine. Merlin had come to realise that Arthur preferred talking in the car so he had a good excuse for looking at the road rather than at Merlin. </p><p>“That’s… good?” Merlin hazarded a guess.</p><p>“I’m going to see him this afternoon.”</p><p>“And that’s a good idea?”</p><p>“Yes, I think so. Not talking was a bad idea, so talking can only be a good idea, right?”</p><p>“I guess so.” </p><p>Arthur sighed. “I need to talk to him, Merlin. I can’t just let this go on.”</p><p>Merlin nodded. “I know.”</p><p>They drove on in silence.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Back in the car again on the way home, Merlin didn’t know what to do with himself.</p><p>“Why do you deliberately put yourself through this? My legs were fine the way they were, there was absolutely no need to make them feel like they’d been steamrollered and then deep fried.” Was he better off never moving his legs again, or deliberately moving them to try and get rid of the ache?</p><p>“I fail to see how this is my fault.” Arthur said as he reversed out of his parking space. “I’m doing you a favour, and if you actually trained more and did the exercises I gave you, you would not be feeling like this now.”</p><p>“Fail to see…? Arthur, I never wanted to even do this at all!”</p><p>“Do you ever do anything except complain? I’m making you fitter!”</p><p>“I was perfectly happy unfit. And don’t think I can’t see you rolling your eyes, pay attention to the road, prat.”</p><p>Arthur sighed as they drove out of the car park. “You’re not going to like my next suggestion either.”</p><p>A sensible person would hear a comment like that and decide not to hear the next suggestion. Merlin had never been accused of being sensible. “Go on then, it can’t possibly be worse than, ‘hey, let’s run the marathon!’ with only a month to train.”</p><p>“Ice bath.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Ice bath,” Arthur said again.</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry, now you repeated yourself it suddenly makes sense. But you know, you just put two words together that don’t belong anywhere near each other? Now a nice hot bath, that sounds like a good idea. Relax the muscles.”</p><p>“No, an ice bath. To stop inflammation and aid recovery – all the top athletes do it!”</p><p>“So… a bath with ice in it? Do I look like I just dropped out of the gullible tree?”</p><p>“It’s a real thing, google it.”</p><p>Arthur waited patiently while Merlin got out his phone and googled.</p><p>Merlin read the little screen in horror. “Nope, not doing that.”</p><p>Arthur sighed again. “Well, either take the cure or stop whinging.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s bloody charming that is.” Merlin carried on reading. To be honest, his legs felt so bad that he was actually considering it, but he wasn’t going to tell Arthur that.</p><p>“I have tickets for a charity event tomorrow night,” Arthur said as they approached the junction for home. “I don’t usually go to these things, but, well, I thought maybe we could this time.”</p><p>“That’s… nice?” Merlin was only half listening, still contemplating the horrors of dipping himself in ice water, and he wasn’t entirely sure why Arthur felt the need to tell him this, it wasn’t like he had to clear it with Merlin before going out.</p><p>Arthur sighed. “Well, I was wondering if you… you know?” It always surprised Merlin how someone who made a living by talking could be so ineloquent in real life.</p><p>“You know…?” He looked up from his phone. </p><p>“Well… what do you think?” Great. Helpful, Arthur, thanks.</p><p>Merlin opened his mouth to ask Arthur to explain, when he suddenly wondered if Arthur was asking him to go along. Seriously? Like a date? He looked back at his phone to hide his confusion. Arthur had kissed him… Why would Arthur ask Merlin on a date when Gwen might find out? Why not just go with Gwen, you know, his beautiful gorgeous fantastic <i>girlfriend</i>? </p><p>Then, with sudden disappointment, Merlin got it. He’d promised to babysit any time. There was no way Arthur and Gwen could both go out and leave Alicia at home, so Arthur was asking Merlin to babysit. He felt like such an idiot, thank goodness he hadn’t said anything!</p><p>A sting of disappointment coiled in his gut next to humiliation, but he quickly pushed it away. He had no right to feel like that, Arthur was Gwen’s and what sort of a cad hoped that his friend’s boyfriend would ask him on a date!</p><p>“Yeah, of course!” he said in response to Arthur’s almost question. It wasn’t like he had plans anyway, and Alicia was good company for a nearly-seven-year-old.</p><p>Arthur smiled the first proper smile Merlin had seen him give since the whole horrible episode with Gareth.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Merlin hummed to himself as he unloaded his shopping bags onto the kitchen counter. He’d bought some pizza bases and a range of toppings so he and Alicia could make their own pizzas while Arthur and Gwen were out. He knew he always went for the unhealthy option, but he wasn’t her parent and they always made sure she ate properly, so why not have pizza occasionally?</p><p>“Look, Kil, I bought you those icky marrowbone things you like.” He waved the packet at his dog only for Kilgharrah to huff and pointedly turn his head the other way. “Don’t go blaming me for leaving you at home, it’s your own fault you’re not allowed anywhere near Sainsbury’s.” He threw the treats down and turned back to the rest of his shopping.</p><p>He’d made the mistake of going into the supermarket one Sunday morning on his way back from taking Kilgharrah out. The trouble had started with what Merlin swore was a look of outrage on the dog’s face when he had taken a lead out of his pocket and actually tied him to a post outside the shop. The look was soon joined by a low menacing growl which Merlin had completely ignored as he went inside. By the time he finished his shopping, he’d found a large crowd of people gathered just inside the door and another crowd further away in the car park with Kilgharrah stood in the middle growling at anyone who tried to get in or out. To be honest, Merlin was lucky it was just his dog who got banned and not him too.</p><p>“Hi Merlin, aren’t you running a bit late?” Gwen breezed into the kitchen with Alicia not far behind her.</p><p>“Hmm? Late for what?” He frowned, had he forgotten something? He was babysitting, he remembered that much, had he promised to take Alicia out and forgotten? He looked over at Gwen. God Gwen, he’d been having trouble being in the same room as her ever since Arthur kissed him, and she must have noticed. He had to start being more normal with her. How did people have affairs? It was one kiss and his nerves were shredded into tiny bits. “You’re the one who’s late home, Arthur’s already upstairs making himself beautiful. He’s been there an hour already, so you still have plenty of time.”</p><p>“We stopped in to see Dad, he has a date tonight as well and wanted some sartorial advice.” She grinned. “It’s lovely to see everyone pairing up and happy. Lance is coming over soon, a quiet night in will be nice.”</p><p>Merlin blinked at that. Lance? Surely she wasn’t trying to set him up with Lance? He was nice enough, but not really Merlin’s type, and anyway, Merlin was pretty sure Lance was straight as… a very very straight thing. “That’s nice,” he said, still confused. </p><p>She nodded, glancing over the groceries he was in the process of putting away. “Do you want me to put these away? Ooh, pizza bases? Good plan!”</p><p>“No, it’s fine, you should go and get ready or Arthur will start complaining.”</p><p>“Get ready?” She tilted her head to one side and gave a slight frown. “What for?”</p><p>“Aren’t you going to this charity event with Arthur? He asked me to babysit tonight.” Merlin looked up from where he was shoving things into the fridge and took in her confused expression. “Didn’t he tell you?”</p><p>Her frown increased and she shook her head. “I’m not going, I thought….” She stopped and bit her lip. “Never mind, I must have got my wires crossed. I guess I’m crashing your pizza party if that’s alright?” She looked perhaps a little crest fallen and Merlin couldn’t for the life of him understand why.</p><p>“Sure, there’s plenty. Um, I can make myself scarce if you two want some mother daughter bonding time. I should probably call Mam anyway.”</p><p>“Oh no, it’s fine, we’d love your company, wouldn’t we, Liss?” She turned towards Alicia and signed the question.</p><p>Alicia nodded. “Yes, so long as I get to paint your nails.”</p><p>Merlin’s eyes widened. “Um… I’m not so sure about that… I have to report on Easter traditions tomorrow, from like, an actual church. They’re not even going to make me dress as the Easter Bunny or Jesus or anything.”</p><p>Gwen grinned at him. “That’s the price of staying in, I’m afraid! Maybe we’ll just do your toenails.”</p><p>Merlin gave a put-upon sigh. “Well, I suppose if you’re brave enough to get that close to my feet…”</p><p>He stopped as Arthur walked into the kitchen. He was wearing a formal tuxedo, cut to perfectly accentuate his athletic frame. It was very unfair that anyone should be that beautiful.  </p><p>Arthur raised a perfect blond eyebrow at Merlin. “What on earth are you wearing?”</p><p>Merlin looked down at himself. “Um, clothes? What’s wrong with them? I didn’t realise there was a dress code for babysitting. Although you have us double booked by the way, Gwen’s in tonight too.”</p><p>“I’m not a baby,” Alicia pointed out.</p><p>“Babysitting?” Arthur said slowly.</p><p>Merlin nodded slowly. “You asked me yesterday, in the car, remember? So you could go to your work thing.”</p><p>Arthur’s mouth kept trying to form words but apparently failing. He blinked several times in rapid succession and then nodded. “I see. Right, well, I’d better be going.”</p><p>“Arthur? Are you alright?” Gwen put her hand on Arthur’s arm, looking between the two of them and shaking her head. She muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, ‘Honestly, you two are hopeless’.</p><p>Arthur's smile was half-hearted as he shook his head. “I’m fine. An idiot, clearly, but fine. I’ll see you later.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek and then walked over and kissed Alicia too. “Have a nice evening you lot!” And then he was hurrying out the door like there was a dragon on his tail.</p><p>“What was all that about?” Merlin asked, puzzled. </p><p>“Oh, just crossed wires.” Gwen looked a little sad. “Merlin, do you…” she started to say something else but was stopped by a knock on the door. “Oh, hang on, that’ll be Lance.”</p><p>“Why’s Arthur in such a hurry? He nearly drove into me!” Lance said to Gwen as she opened the door. </p><p>Merlin didn’t hear her low murmured response as he finished putting the shopping away. </p><p>“Gwen, I’m just taking Kilgharrah out for a quick walk.” He stuck his head into the hall as he spoke to make sure she’d heard him only to be met with the sight of Gwen and Lance kissing. He felt his cheeks flame red as he quickly backed away muttering his apologies. He turned and practically ran for the back door, whistling for Kilgharrah. </p><p>“Can I come with you?” Alicia asked, oblivious to Merlin’s inner turmoil. </p><p>He smiled and nodded, grabbing Kilgharrah’s favourite tennis ball as Gwen came into the kitchen. </p><p>“Merlin, are you alright?” She looked concerned but not even slightly guilty.</p><p>Merlin nodded again, not trusting himself to speak. He just had to get away. Arthur was his friend! Gwen was his friend. This was a mess, what was he supposed to do? Should he tell Arthur? If he told Arthur he was betraying Gwen, if he said nothing he was betraying Arthur. They seemed like such a perfect couple with their perfect house and perfect daughter. Had Merlin been so envious of their life that he’d just failed to see the cracks? Why would Gwen do that when she had someone like Arthur? If Merlin had someone like Arthur he would never… </p><p>He’d kissed Arthur. He’d done the same thing to Gwen that she was doing to Arthur…</p><p>Why did everything have to be so bloody complicated?</p><p>They reached the park and he concentrated on smiling and acting like nothing was wrong for Alicia’s sake, throwing the ball for Kilgharrah to catch until it started getting dark and he could no longer justify not going home.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“Merlin, can I talk to you please.” Of course, Gwen was not Arthur, she wasn’t going to let him get away with hiding. “Lance and Alicia are going to make the pizzas, if that’s ok with you.”</p><p>Merlin nodded and followed Gwen back out into the garden. </p><p>“What’s wrong?” Gwen folded her arms and waited for him to respond.</p><p>“Nothing, why would anything be wrong?” He attempted to smile but could tell from her face it wasn’t working.</p><p>“Do you not approve of me and Lance?”</p><p>“What could possibly make you think that?” he didn’t bother trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.</p><p>She frowned. “I really don’t see how it’s any of your business to be honest, Merlin. But he’s a good person, I thought you liked him, and you haven’t had a problem with us before.”</p><p>He kicked a stone across the grass. “No, you are right, it’s absolutely none of my business. But I consider both you and Arthur as friends and I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”</p><p>Gwen opened her mouth then shut it again, shaking her head as confusion etched across her features. “You think Lance is going to hurt me?”</p><p>Merlin threw his hands up in frustration. “No! Up until this evening I thought he was a really great bloke who couldn’t harm a fly. But now suddenly he’s kissing you and you’re cheating on Arthur!” And Arthur had kissed him too, and he felt so bloody guilty about it, only to find Gwen doing the same thing to Arthur so he was blaming her because he was afraid to tell her the truth.</p><p>Gwen just stared at him and blinked. “Cheating? Merlin…” She suddenly gave a small laugh then put her hand over her mouth. “Oh Merlin… You do know Arthur and I aren’t actually together, don’t you?” </p><p>“I… you… what?” Merlin had honestly never felt so confused in his life. “Yes you are. You’re like the golden couple of morning television, you have this perfect life and perfect family and everyone wants to be you.”</p><p>She smiled and shook her head. “Honestly, what sort of journalist are you? You’ve been living with us for what, about three months now? Have you ever seen us kiss or act intimate in any way? We sleep in separate rooms! I’ve been seeing Lance since Christmas, he stays over all the time, and Arthur not only knows all about it, he’s happy for us!”</p><p>“But… Alicia?” Merlin didn’t really think it was fair that she seemed to be making out like this was just him being somehow dense, it was a well known fact that Gwen and Arthur were a power couple, and they lived together and they had a child!</p><p>Gwen smiled, shaking her head at the same time. “Come on, it’s cold out here, let’s go and sit in the other room.” She grabbed his hand and headed for the living room.</p><p>“Alright then.” Gwen settled onto the sofa and patted the cushion beside her.</p><p>Merlin sat down, confusion warring with bewilderment in his head. </p><p>“Alright then, here’s the potted history. Arthur and I <i>were</i> a couple. For about five minutes, roughly six years and nine months ago. We were friends, we had other friends pushing us together, it seemed inevitable. But as a couple… we just lacked chemistry. We slept together one time, it was awkward and embarrassing, it was sort of like kissing my brother – not that I’ve ever kissed my brother, of course, I mean, more I like I would imagine kissing him might be like, although obviously I don’t go around imagining things like that… so maybe not literally my actual brother, but you know, like that level of weird. We both agreed never ever again.”</p><p>“Ok.” Merlin nodded. “And Alicia?”</p><p>Gwen tilted her head and shrugged. “Accidents happen. Turned out to be the best mistake of either of our lives. We considered getting back together for the sake of the baby – there was never any question of not keeping her for either of us. Not that Arthur would have tried to pressure me into it, but I’ve never seen someone look so relieved as when I said I wanted her. He's a brilliant dad, and my best friend in the world.”</p><p>“You didn’t get back together though?” Merlin really couldn’t imagine ever willingly letting Arthur go.</p><p>“No. As friends we won’t end up resenting each other or splitting up and fighting over Alicia. Both Arthur and I grew up without mothers, and Arthur with only Uther, and we didn’t want for Alicia to grow up with only one parent. Alicia will never have to choose between a mum and dad who hate each other, because we love each other as friends.”</p><p>Merlin didn’t answer, trying to process that everything he thought he knew about his living environment was suddenly wrong.</p><p>Gwen sighed. “Look, I know not everyone approves of our living arrangements, we are seen as very odd, but it works. We are a family, living together under one roof. Alicia has both her parents together, but we are completely free to form outside relationships. She knows we aren’t a couple, she understands that Lance is my boyfriend and that her Daddy sees other people too, we’re completely honest with her.” Apparently she had taken his silence for disapproval.</p><p>Merlin looked at her and smiled. “I’m sorry, I’m not judging you, I promise. I just… until this evening I thought that you and Arthur were like this perfect couple, and I was actually a bit enviously of what you have.”</p><p>Gwen grinned. “From where I’m sitting, what Arthur and I have <i>is</i> pretty perfect. If anything, I’m worried about what happens next. I think Lance might be the one for me… everything might change soon and part of me doesn’t want it to.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.” </p><p>Gwen frowned. “What for?”</p><p>“I kissed Arthur. The other night. I’ve been feeling like the worst human in the world, you’ve been so wonderful to me, and then I went and kissed your boyfriend.”</p><p>“He’s not my boyfriend, so no harm done. I take it this is why you’ve been a bit funny with me all week?”</p><p>He nodded. “But I <i>thought</i> he was your boyfriend, so that still means I did a pretty awful thing.”</p><p>She hummed. “The way Arthur told it, he kissed you, and he was really happy. You do realise he wanted you to go with him tonight, don’t you?”</p><p>“He what? But he never said…” He played back the previous evening in the car and then dropped his head into his hands. “Oh, my God, Arthur is clearly right and I’m an idiot.”</p><p>She hummed again. “I refuse to comment on the grounds I might incriminate myself…”</p><p>Merlin raised his head and stared at her until her straight face broke and she started laughing.</p><p>“Fine,” he said, throwing his hands up. “Where’s Lance with that pizza?”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
“Ianto!” </p><p>Merlin rolled his eyes. After nearly eight months he would have thought Arthur might have learnt his name by now.</p><p>“Guess who’s been nominated for best Daytime TV Newcomer in the TV awards!”</p><p>Merlin didn’t dare even hope Arthur meant him, and he was damned if he was going to suggest Mordred, so he went for the option of just staring at Arthur.</p><p>It didn’t take long for Arthur to wave the letter in Merlin’s face. “Didn’t you hear what I said? You’ve been nominated for an award!”</p><p>“That’s not even funny.” Merlin reached out and plucked the piece of paper from Arthur’s hand, quickly scanning down the list. <i>Wake Up</i> had been nominated for best daytime show, of course, Arthur himself was nominated for best presenter, as was Gwen, and there, near the bottom, Merlin Emrys, best newcomer. “Bloody Hell!”</p><p>“Congratulations!” Arthur’s grin looked genuine.</p><p>“You too!” </p><p>George walked over. “I see you’ve heard the news. Both you and Mordred have been nominated in the same category. It’s the one that is decided by audience vote.”</p><p>“Both of us?” Merlin’s joy temporarily dropped before he realised that he didn’t care if he won, it was enough to be nominated! He’d been nominated for an award once before, but only a local one for best presenter in the Welsh language. There wasn’t actually a huge amount of competition and he still hadn’t won. </p><p>“Yes,” George said, nodding. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up, the chances of either of you winning are about as rare as an in-tune flugel player.”</p><p>He didn’t let George’s words sting him, he was too used to George by now to think there was any malice behind them.  </p><p>He had to call his Mam!</p><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>I’ve been nominated in the press awards! How did that happen? <span class="x1F3C6"><span class="hide">(Trophy )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#nomination #gob_smacked</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2.2k <span class="twTime"> 10:43 AM • April 7, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>620 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Merlin lay back on the grass and watched the clouds drift by. </p><p>He felt a little guilty for not going home to Wales this weekend. Bank holidays on both Easter Monday and Good Friday meant he would have had plenty of time to go and see his Mam and Will, but Hunith had plans for the weekend, Will had a new girlfriend, and it was quite nice just having a relaxing few days off without running around the country – even if he was currently supposed to be running around the park. Besides, there was a homemade simnel cake back at the house, and by the time they got back from their ‘run’, there would also be fresh hot cross buns, and Merlin would have to be daft to miss out on those. </p><p>Relaxing, of course, was a relative term. For Merlin, relaxing meant lying there, doing nothing. For Arthur, it meant running round and around in the park training for the London Marathon, which was now just a few short weeks away. Merlin had actually managed a few laps, but boredom had soon caught up and he’d taken time out. </p><p>At the sound of feet once again rounding the footpath, Merlin propped himself up on his elbows. Arthur ran towards him at the steady, even pace he’d been maintaining the whole way around. Slightly further down the path, Kilgharrah bounded along behind him, no doubt having been distracted by squirrels and stopping to investigate.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
He lifted his phone and snapped a picture to upload to Twitter. The pictures of Arthur training always seemed to do really well, no matter how sweaty; it was nice to think their viewers were all supporting him. </p><p>“Two weeks, Merlin!” Arthur stopped just in front of him and proceeded to stretch in a way that was really very unfair. “The marathon is in two weeks, you will never be ready in time if you can’t even cope with a simple jog around the park!”</p><p>Merlin gave a dramatic sigh as he typed out his tweet. “The only person who believes I am entering this marathon is you. I’ve run out of ways to explain to you that it is NOT going to happen.”</p><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span></span>
    </p><p>
      <span>
        <span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span>
      </span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Happy Good Friday everyone, have a Pendragon in training! Enjoy your hot X buns!<br/>
<br/>
<span> #runforestrun #hotcrossbuns</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 1.2M<span class="twTime"> 9:20 AM • April 10, 20202</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>2.1K people are talking about this</p></div></div><p><br/>
<br/>
Kilgharrah bounded up and plonked himself down beside Merlin, panting heavily, tongue lolling out of his mouth. </p><p>“It’ll be fun!” Arthur’s shirt was clinging to him and Merlin had to look away before his tongue started hanging out too.</p><p>“I think you need to look up the word ‘fun’.” Merlin rolled his eyes and reached over to rub Kilgharrah’s head. “Hey, Kil, did you enjoy your run? Did you chase all those naughty squirrels away? I’m sure it’s supposed to be little dogs that like to chase squirrels, what sort of threat could they possibly be to a great big dog like you, eh?”</p><p>“It’s probably their long tails and stupid twitch noses,” Arthur said, finally giving up and sitting down on the grass.</p><p>“Did you just quote <i>Blackadder</i>?” Merlin said. “Hey Kil, did you know Arthur had a sense of humour?”</p><p>“Oi!” Arthur looked a little hurt. “That’s not fair. I have a sense of humour.” Damn, a grown man should not look that pretty when pouting.</p><p>“Aww, did we hurt ickle Artie’s feelings?” Merlin reached over and ruffled Arthur’s hair like he had with Kilgharrah, only realising once his hand was actually on Arthur’s sweaty head that he really shouldn’t be doing that. </p><p>Rather than swatting his hand away, Arthur gave him a soft little smile. Then his face sobered up and he clambered back to his feet “We should get back, the Harpy is coming over for lunch today.” </p><p>“Harpy?” Merlin asked as he got up as well.</p><p>Arthur nodded. “Poor old Morgana lives such a hard life. She is being sent to Melbourne to interview Cate Blanchett next week, so she’ll miss Alicia’s birthday and we get her today instead. She will bring too many Easter eggs for Alicia and probably some sort of inappropriate gift that I’ll have to quietly dispose of when she’s gone.”</p><p>They didn’t hurry back to the house, which Merlin was glad of. Morgana scared the hell out of him.</p><p>“She’s early,” Arthur groaned as they saw a racing-green vintage MG convertible parked in front of the house. “Are you sure you don’t want to go back and do those few extra laps you missed?”</p><p>“Tempting, but no.” Merlin put a hand on Arthur’s arm and pulled him towards the back door.</p><p>The first warning they got that something was not right was the way Kilgharrah stopped dead just inside the door and started growling, low in his throat.</p><p>“What’s wrong, boy?” Merlin said, attempting to push past the dog.</p><p>“Come on, Kil, my sister’s not that bad!” Arthur said loudly, no doubt hoping Morgana could hear him.</p><p>Merlin finally squeezed his way into the house only to practically mimic Kilgharrah in stopping still just inside. </p><p>“Is anyone actually going to let me inside my own house today?” Arthur snarked from behind him. </p><p>Merlin stepped to one side and pointed. “Cat.” He tried to back away further but Arthur was in the way.</p><p>Finally squeezing past, Arthur looked over at where Merlin was pointing. “Are you sure that’s a cat? It looks like a sheep! Morgana, why is my daughter playing with a sheep-cat?”</p><p>“Good morning to you too, Arthur.” Morgana was immaculately turned out, as always, even just in simple jeans and t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail. She wrinkled her nose. “You two are sweaty.”</p><p>“No, <i>I</i> am sweaty, I have been for a run. Merlin merely has grass stains on his bum from lolling about on the ground.”</p><p>Morgana laughed as Merlin twisted round trying to see his own backside. “You’ve been looking then?”</p><p>“Look, Daddy!” Alicia held up the strange-looking kitten. It wasn’t actually part sheep, Merlin was fairly sure, but it was skinny with curly white fur and enormous ears. </p><p>Please don’t let that be Morgana’s birthday present to Alicia, he thought. He liked living here, he didn’t want to have to move out because they suddenly had a cat! Or was this some sort of subtle hint? A way of finally getting rid of the unwanted house guest by making it so he had to move out? And what about Kilgharrah? He wouldn’t want to share his living space with a cat! </p><p>Maybe it was just Morgana’s cat and she’d brought it over to show Alicia and then would be taking it away again? Yes, because of course someone who spent most of the year travelling the globe would have a cat, that made absolutely no sense whatsoever.</p><p>“I’m going to take a shower,” Arthur said, shaking his head, presumably at everything.</p><p>“Me too.” Merlin edged around the kitchen just in case the kitten suddenly pounced on him or something.</p><p>Morgana arched an eyebrow. “Well have fun, boys!”</p><p>“Not together!” Merlin yelped. “Separate showers, in like, separate rooms!” He ran out of the kitchen quickly with the sounds of Morgana and Gwen’s laughter following behind him.</p><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Gwen Lyons <span class="twVerified">✔</span></span>
    </p><p>
      <span>
        <span class="twHandle">@wakeupgwen</span>
      </span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>he meant actual hot cross buns you pervs! And Gwaine O’Conaill, that didn't even make sense. </p></div><div class="twBody twEmbed">
<p></p><div class="twUserEmbed"><p>
        
        <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerifiedEmbed">✔</span><span class="twHandleEmbed">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
      </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Happy Good Friday everyone, have a Pendragon in training! Enjoy your hot X buns! <span> #runforestrun #hotcrossbuns</span></p></div><br/></div><div class="twText"><p><br/>
<span> #hotcrossbuns</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 2.4M<span class="twTime"> 10:34 AM • April 10, 20202</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>5.2K people are talking about this</p></div></div><hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
When he returned down stairs, fresh and clean from the shower, he was met with the delicious cinnamon smell of fresh hot cross buns and fresh coffee. </p><p>“Uncle Merlin, do you like my new kitten, she’s called Aithusa!” Alicia thrust the tiny bat-eared sheep-cat into his arms before he could back away. </p><p>Merlin panicked for a second, knowing full well that he needed to keep away from the cat, but then big blue eyes stared into his and the kitten let out a tiny mew and he was done for. “Hello, Aithusa! Aren’t you the most beautiful girl in all the world? Yes you are!”<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Kilgharrah looked over from where he was stretched out on the rug in front of the fireplace. He gave a loud huff, betrayal etched upon every fibre of his being. </p><p>“Merlin! What on earth are you doing? Put the bloody cat down!” Arthur’s outraged voice might have been funny if he wasn’t right. He walked over and plucked the kitten out of Merlin’s arms, handing her back to Alicia. “Merlin is allergic to cats, they make him sick,” he signed.</p><p>“Aithusa is a Cornish Rex, she’s hypoallergenic,” Morgana said from where she was still perched by the kitchen counter. “I did research. He should probably still try not to actually cuddle her, or let her sleep on his bed or anything, although I suppose if that happened Merlin could always sleep in Arthur’s bed. But in general she shouldn’t give as many problems as other cats.”</p><p>“Really?” Merlin asked hopefully.</p><p>“Well, hopefully, like I say. There is still a chance, it depends on how bad your allergy is. But in theory they don’t produce as much dander, and that is what you are probably allergic to. So, as long as you are sensible.”</p><p>“Well, there goes that plan then, I don’t think Merlin knows how to be sensible.” Arthur rolled his eyes and went to inspect the buns Gwen had just taken out of the oven.</p><p>She slapped Arthur’s hand away as he reached out. “Those are hot! I don’t know about Merlin having no sense, you are no better! And everyone needs to wash their catty and doggy hands before touching the food!”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
At some point during the afternoon, Merlin walked into the kitchen to make cups of tea. Kilgharrah, who had spent most of lunch growling every time he caught sight of Aithusa, was lying on his favourite rug in front of the hearth in the kitchen with the tiny kitten trying to use him as a climbing frame. Tea forgotten, Merlin pulled his phone out of his pocket and started taking pictures. It would be difficult deciding which picture to put on Twitter, maybe he should do a video instead.</p><p>“So no allergic reaction yet then?” </p><p>Merlin yelped and nearly dropped his phone. Really, how was it even possible to sneak up on someone whilst wearing heels that would probably be classed as a lethal weapon in most countries in the world? </p><p>“Um, not so far. Arthur has been keeping a close eye on me to make sure I don’t actually cuddle the cat, you know. But now I think I may not be allowed near my dog either in case of cross-contamination. It’s all just a ruse, Arthur has been trying to make Killy his since the start.”</p><p>“He worries about you.” She had the sort of intense stare that probably made people blurt out their deepest darkest secrets just to make her go away.</p><p>Merlin gave a nervous laugh. “Who, Kilgharrah? Nah, he knows that without me here, Arthur would spoil him rotten.”</p><p>Her stare never left his face. This must be how insects felt, pinned to a board and examined under a microscope. Or perhaps more accurately, this must be how insects felt, waiting in a spider’s web to be eaten.</p><p>“Arthur. You mean a lot to him.”</p><p>“Oh, well, without me around, there would be no one to get his lazy backside out of bed.”</p><p>She raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Oh, you get him out of bed do you? Or did you mean <i>into</i> bed?”</p><p>“What? No! I… that is… I mean… we’ve never…”</p><p>Morgana started laughing and finally started to look more human rather than like some sort of terrifying cyborg-type-thing sent to kill him. “It’s alright, Merlin. But for what it’s worth, I don’t think Arthur would mind you thinking about his backside in bed.”</p><p>“I wasn’t! I was definitely talking about him being not in bed. I just meant… for running! You know, outside,” Merlin blethered on. “I’m helping him with the whole marathon thing. He thinks I’m taking part too, but he’s wrong. The nation does not need to see my skinny legs fall over in running shorts.”</p><p>“Arthur has run marathons before you know, I don’t really think he needs help. I’m sure he appreciates the company though. And perhaps the view.”</p><p>“I don’t know what you are implying.”</p><p>Morgana gave a groan of frustration. “All this pratting about rather than just saying what you mean – you two could have been shagging months ago!”</p><p>“What?” Merlin dropped his phone and just stared at her.</p><p>“Oh come on! I’m tired of everyone skirting around this. It’s bloody obvious Arthur likes you, he practically has these little heart eyes every time you’re in the room.”</p><p>“But… no way, you’re wrong!”</p><p>“Really? So he didn’t invite you out for a drink on his birthday? He didn’t ask you to that charity gala last week? He doesn’t come up with every excuse he can think of just to spend time with you? I mean seriously, he was so bloody insistent you got the job in the first place that we ended up employing two people instead of one!”</p><p>“That’s just… he can’t even remember my name half the time! He still calls me Ianto, like that’s just some generic Welsh name that we all answer to.”</p><p>Morgana sighed. “Give me strength. Look, Arthur is a massive nerd, alright? He loves <i>Star Wars</i>, <i>Star Trek</i>, <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i>, <i>Dr Who</i>, you name it.”</p><p>“Um, I know?” Merlin frowned, a little confused at the sudden change of direction. He already knew Arthur was a sci-fi nerd, their ideal quiet night in was to watch reruns of <i>Dr Who</i> after all.</p><p>Morgana grinned. “Did you know that Arthur was, oh I don’t know, early twenties, last year of his BA, he was absolutely obsessed with <i>Torchwood</i>, even more than <i>Dr Who</i>. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to be John Barrowman or shag him. I think it’s probably what made him realise it was ok to be bi.”</p><p>“Ok, but what does this have to do with me?”</p><p>Morgana rolled her eyes. “His favourite character was Ianto. It’s not that he can’t remember your name, he just thinks you look good in a suit. And he’s basically too <i>Arthur</i> to actually tell you that.”</p><p>“Did he actually tell you any of this?”</p><p>She shrugged. “Just remember, I’m watching you, Merlin Emrys, and if you hurt my baby brother you will have me to deal with. Now, where’s that tea?”</p><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Most beautiful girl in the world! Here’s hoping this little Cornish Rex kitten will be the one cat I’m not allergic to <span class="x1F63B"><span class="hide">(Smiling Cat Face With Heart-Shaped Eyes )</span></span></p><p>
      <br/>
<span>#cats #cornishrex #aithusa</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 4.8k<span class="twTime"> 11:56 AM • April 10, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>1.9K people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
Mordred had reached the grand old age of twenty-five, and as such Merlin found himself and Arthur heading over to the Rising Sun to help celebrate. </p><p>Of course, Mordred and several of the others were already there, Gwaine being at the centre of the drinking as always. “Merlin, there you are! Let’s get this party started!” </p><p>Merlin quickly found himself wedged between Gwaine and Elena while Arthur went to the bar. </p><p>“Merlin! How’s the training going?” Elena asked. She sat forward and her knee knocked into the table, spilling several drinks. “Oops, sorry everyone!”</p><p>“Arthur still seems to think I’m actually running the marathon with him, despite me never actually agreeing to it.”</p><p>“Oh, you should totally do it! I’ve done it a couple of times, and I’ve been helping Elyan train recently. I didn’t enter this year because I was meant to be going to San Fran with my ex, but obviously we’re not going now, what with him being my ex and all, and it’s too late to enter now.”</p><p>“Hmm,” Merlin nodded his thanks to Arthur as a pint of bitter was set down in front of him. “I know what you mean. I had hoped it was too late for me to enter, but of course Arthur knows the organisers and managed to get me in. Apparently the name Pendragon can get you almost anything you desire. You are welcome to my place if you want it!”</p><p>Elena laughed. “Somehow I don’t think it works like that. And I suspect Arthur went to quite a lot of trouble to get you that place – like you said, whatever a Pendragon desires…”</p><p>Merlin could feel himself blush so he attempted to turn the tables on her. “Things do seem to be getting cosy with you and Elyan though.” </p><p>She blushed too and then smiled. “He’s so nice. I really can’t believe I wasted so much time trying to make things work with Geraint when I could have been with my soulmate this entire time!”</p><p>“I know what you mean.” Merlin let his eyes drift to Arthur before snapping them back to Elena who raised a knowing eyebrow at him. “Edwin!” He quickly clarified before she started thinking Arthur was his soulmate or some other such nonsense. “I mean, I wasted six years on my ex, Edwin. It wasn’t till I actually left him that I really saw how toxic he was.”</p><p>Elena raised her beer and clinked it against Merlin’s. “Here’s to cutting toxic people out of our lives!”</p><p>As the night wore on, Merlin and Elena found themselves listening to George, who was regaling them all with tales of brass bands. “…honestly, as if I didn’t know the difference between a euphonium and a baritone!” George stopped and looked up like he expected a laugh. He nudged Merlin in the side, making him jerk out of the stupor he’d been in. George nodded towards Mordred. “Looks like the birthday boy is about as drunk as a B-flat bass player in the second half of a Christmas concert.”</p><p>An increasingly uncomfortable looking Arthur, was seated on the other side of the table next to Mordred. Kara, Mordred’s on/off girlfriend, had stormed out after some sort of spat that Merlin had completely missed, leaving Mordred getting closer and closer to Arthur. If Arthur tried to shift sideways one more time, he was going to end up on the floor, which ordinarily might have made Merlin laugh but the look on Arthur’s face made him decide a rescue mission was called for instead. </p><p>“Arthur,” he called across the table. “Any chance of heading off soon? If we’re going to be up at arse o’clock for training tomorrow, I’m going to need my beauty sleep.”</p><p>The look of relief on Arthur’s face was clear as he started to stand. “Well we’d better get a move on then, I don’t think you have enough hours of sleep left to make you beautiful, Merlin.”</p><p>Merlin pasted a look of mock-outrage onto his face. “How dare you! My mirror told me this morning I was the fairest in the land!”</p><p>“Aww, no, you don’t have to go do you?” Mordred flung his arms around Arthur’s neck and Merlin suddenly realised just how drunk the birthday boy was.</p><p>“Sorry, Merlin’s right, we have training in the morning.” Arthur tried to extract himself from Mordred, who just clung on tighter.</p><p>“You could take me home with you,” Mordred slurred, resting his head on Arthur’s chest.</p><p>Arthur gave Merlin a pleading look. </p><p>“Hey, Mordie!” Gwaine jumped up. “I think it’s time we got you home.”</p><p>“I’m going home with Arthur.”</p><p>“Nope, Merlin’s going home with Arthur.”</p><p>“My boyfriend’s going to be here soon to pick me up,” Elena said. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind giving you a lift.”</p><p>“Don’t you want me to come home with you?” Mordred turned big eyes on Arthur.</p><p>“He’s definitely coming home with me.” Merlin made his way around the table and firmly extracted Arthur from Mordred’s grasp. </p><p>Mordred pouted. </p><p>“Come on, mate.” Percy moved around the other side of Mordred. “You’re going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow.”</p><p>“Elyan!” Elena called, waving as the man in question entered the pub.</p><p>“Hi, sorry I’m late. Merlin, I managed to get you permission for that interview you wanted! And… oh… is everyone leaving?”</p><p>“Sorry, I know you just got here, but would it be ok if we took Mordred here home?” Elena asked, standing up and grabbing her bag. “He’s had a few too many and seems to think Arthur’s his new teddy bear.”</p><p>Elyan took one look at Arthur’s face and nodded. “Yeah, I have to be up early for training anyway. Come on, Mordred, where do you live?”</p><p>Arthur mouthed a thank you to him. Elyan grinned and patted his arm. “You need a partner, mate. Let everyone know you’re taken.” He looked pointedly at Merlin’s hand still clutching Arthur’s arm and grinned.</p><p>“Thank you,” Arthur said to Merlin, taking his hand as everyone made their way outside. “That was starting to feel like the whole Gareth episode all over again.”</p><p>Merlin smiled. “No problem. Anyway, I’m sure Mordred and Kara will be back together again by tomorrow, they do this quite a lot.” </p><p>Arthur tightened his grip and met his eyes with a tentative smile. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
“One would have thought deaf children might make less noise.” </p><p>Never had anyone looked more out of place anywhere than Uther Pendragon did at a seven-year-old’s Roald Dahl birthday party. The man actually had a suit on – not even Arthur had a suit on! Well, actually, Arthur <i>did</i> have a suit on, but it was purple.</p><p>“I don’t think that's necessarily true, and anyway, not all of the children are hearing impaired,” Merlin said, squeezing past Uther and Tom to put a plate of food on the long table set out in the garden. Merlin himself had been dubbed ‘The BFG’ by Alicia, which he thought was probably a compliment but rather suspected it had something to do with his ears. Alicia herself was Little Red Riding Hood from the <i>Revolting Rhymes</i>.</p><p>Arthur, Willy Wonka, and Elyan, Danny Champion of the World, were next out of the kitchen with plates piled high with ‘snozzcumber sandwiches’. Arthur and Gwen had been baking up all sorts of Roald Dahl themed goodies since the previous day and Merlin was pretty sure they’d be eating it all for the next fortnight.</p><p>“Honestly, Arthur, I could have provided a caterer you know,” Uther tutted when he caught sight of Arthur still with chocolate smudged across his cheek and an apron over his Willy Wonka costume. “It’s unseemly for you to be working as a servant.”</p><p>“Lighten up, Uther, it’s nice that they’ve taken the time to make all this.” Gwen’s dad, Tom, dressed as Grandpa Joe from <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i>, moved aside as Lance, Fantastic Mr Fox, came through carrying a jug of some sort of green liquid that was supposed to be ‘frobscottle’ from the BFG. “Everything here is from Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes, what caterer could have given you that? They’ve even made an Enormous Crocodile cake, and it really is enormous!”</p><p>Uther’s horrified expression was so funny that Merlin quickly made an excuse to go, grabbing Lance’s arm and hurrying him and his frobscottle over towards the kids. “Who wants to take part in a burping competition?”</p><p>Some of the parents were not happy with the idea of a burping competition, even though most of the kids thought it was the best idea ever. Complaints were made to a giant ladybird otherwise known as Gwen. </p><p>Gwen simply smiled that gentle smile of hers that got studio executives to do what they were told. “At least it’s not real frobscottle,” she said, picking up a glass. “The bubbles go down in that and create something far worse!” Then she took a long drink, belching as loudly as she could and making all the children laugh. “It’s just as well my friend Mithian isn’t here, she’d win hands down!”</p><p>The afternoon was exhausting as all the adults, except Uther, seemed to be rushing around either catering or entertaining. Merlin in particular was called on several times to perform his special ‘conjuring’ tricks to the delighted oohs and ahhs of his new fans. </p><p>It didn’t take long for Arthur, Elyan and Lance to descend into talk of the upcoming marathon, as usual. </p><p>“Will you be as glad as me to not have to hear the ‘m’ word again?” Gwen asked Merlin with a sigh. “At least, not until they start training for next year, anyway.”</p><p>“Who do you think will win?” Merlin asked, knowing full well that the three of them could hear him.</p><p>“Probably some running superstar like Mo Farrah or someone?” Gwen said with a shrug.</p><p>“No, I mean out of those three?”</p><p>“Well, Arthur beat Elyan last year, but that’s because Elyan tripped and twisted his ankle. Elyan won the two years before that, so my money is on El.”</p><p>“Oi! A little loyalty would be nice here!” Arthur said, hands on hips.</p><p>Gwen giggled. “Well, Elyan is my brother and Lance is my boyfriend, so….”</p><p>“Merlin?” Arthur said, turning to him. “You’re on my side, right?”</p><p>Merlin grinned at him. “You’re only my landlord, Elyan’s doing an interview for me, I’m going to have to side with him.”</p><p>“Yes!” Elyan crowed, giving Merlin a fist bump. “Face it, Arthur, I’m going to beat you.”</p><p>“I very much doubt that! You two are going dressed as bumble bees, that’s got to slow you down.”</p><p>“So what, the only way you can beat me is if my costume impedes my running?” Elyan shook his head. “Mate, that is tragic.”</p><p>“We’re going to be honey bees, not bumble bees,” Lance said, like that changed everything.</p><p>“I tell you what,” Gwen said, a spark suddenly lighting her eyes. “How about a little challenge. Whoever wins gets the very nice bottle of brandy I got given last week.”</p><p>Arthur and Elyan looked at each other then back at Gwen. “The Hennessy Cognac?” Arthur asked to clarify.</p><p>Gwen rolled her eyes. “How many expensive bottles of brandy do you think I get given?”</p><p>Elyan looked at Arthur and grinned. “I’m in if you are.”</p><p>“What about the loser?” Merlin asked. “Is there some sort of forfeit?”</p><p>“Oh I think definitely,” Gwen agreed. “But as it’s Lance’s first year, he’s exempt. This is just between Elyan and Arthur.”</p><p>“What about Merlin?” Arthur asked.</p><p>“Merlin is not running the marathon,” Merlin said for at least the ten millionth time.</p><p>“Merlin gets a forfeit for speaking about himself in the third person,” Gwen said.</p><p>“Hey! That’s not fair, I get to humiliate myself on national telly on a regular basis, is that not enough?”</p><p>“True.” Gwen nodded. “Perhaps that should be the forfeit! Whoever loses has to do one of the stupid things Agravaine is always trying to make Merlin do, on live telly!”</p><p>“Not the tiger enclosure!” Arthur said quickly.</p><p>Gwen shook her head. “Ok, not the tiger enclosure. But maybe something tailored to each person. Like, if Elyan loses, he has to do that haunted house thing Agravaine was trying to push through.” </p><p>“No!” Elyan actually looked bothered now. “You know I don’t do ghosts, Gwen.”</p><p>“Well that’s exactly the point! It has to be something out of your comfort zone.”</p><p>“Ah, but I don’t work for your programme, so I can’t do it, sorry.”</p><p>“I’m sure an exception could be made for a guest presenter,” a voice said from behind them. They all turned to see Uther standing there listening. Smirking.</p><p>“Wait, no, that’s not fair! What about Arthur?” Elyan asked.</p><p>“Parachute jump. Or roller coasters,” Uther said. “Arthur hates roller coasters, has done since he was a boy. I happen to know that Agravaine wants to send that other boy, Mordecai or whatever he’s called, to try the new ride at Alton Towers.”</p><p>“Father! I have a very real and genuine fear of heights – surely you at least should be on my side!” Poor Arthur, Merlin actually felt a little sorry for him.</p><p>“That’s settled then.” Gwen rubbed her hands. “If Elyan loses he has to do the haunted house story, and if Arthur loses he has to go on the Great Dragon!”  </p><p>A loud knocking from the front of the house gave Merlin the chance to escape and answer the door. It was slightly earlier than they were expecting the rest of the parents to arrive, although several parents had stayed to help out. </p><p>“Hi, are you here to collect? They’re all still playing out the back I’m afraid, and they haven’t had their jelly and ice cream yet, but you’re welcome to come in and wait.”</p><p>The man on the doorstep actually snarled at him, and as he did so Merlin was hit with a strong stench of alcohol. </p><p>Moving to block the doorway, Merlin looked at the man again. “Um… You’re not one of the parents, are you? What do you want here?”</p><p>“Who’re you? Where’s that fucker Pendragon?”</p><p>“I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave, we have a kids’ party here and I don’t want you upsetting them.”</p><p>“Merlin? What’s going on?” Arthur walked up behind him. “Lot? What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Having fun, Pendragon?” Lot slurred. “Having fun with your child? No one come to take her off you yet, huh? That’s just what you do to other people. Use them up and throw them away, like so much rubbish.” He looked at Merlin. “Who’s this, his replacement? Don’t trust this fuck-ker.”</p><p>“I didn’t take Gareth from you.” Ah. Everything started to make more sense.</p><p>“Then where is he?” The man swayed a bit as he pointed his finger at Arthur. “Have you got him here in your den of… of… sin!</p><p>“He’s in a rehab facility.” Arthur said calmly. “If he doesn’t want you to know where then I’m not going to break that confidence.”</p><p>“Right. If he doesn’t want me to know. This is all your fault, Pendragon. You used my boy, put ideas in his head, but now it’s me they won’t tell where he is. You’re nothing but a pervert and a deviant and I’m going to make sure everyone knows about you. Just you wait, they won’t let you keep that child, and then you’ll know what this feels like!”</p><p>“How dare you! I did nothing but try and show Gareth a little kindness. I’m not the one who messed with his head!”</p><p>“Arthur!” Uther’s voice snapped out from behind them. “You go and help Gwen, I’ll deal with this.”</p><p>“No, I came to talk to the monkey, not the organ grinder.” Lot swayed again as Uther firmly led him away from the house.</p><p>Arthur pulled the door shut and rubbed a hand across his face. “Is this whole business never going away, Merlin?”</p><p>Merlin put a hand on his arm and took him into the living room. “I’m sure it’ll be alright.”</p><p>“Gareth’s in a private hospital, he didn’t want to ask his father for money. My father thinks I shouldn’t have given it to him, that it looks like an admission of guilt. But I do feel guilty. I might not have actually taken advantage, but I didn’t exactly try to help him either.”</p><p>“You did nothing wrong, Gareth is an adult, he doesn’t need his father’s permission, and neither do you for that matter. Lot was drunk, let him sleep it off.”</p><p>Arthur didn’t exactly smile at him, not with his face at least, just his eyes maybe. “I don’t know how you always seem to make my problems seem less… problematic. Thank you, Merlin.”</p><p>Arthur reached out and cupped Merlin’s face before pressing the briefest of kisses to his lips. Merlin was so surprised that he just stood there blinking for what felt like an eternity. Suddenly aware that Arthur was pulling back when he didn’t respond, Merlin pulled Arthur back towards him, renewing the kiss to make sure Arthur knew it wasn’t unwanted.</p><p>“I…” Arthur started to say, just as the door opened.</p><p>“Arthur…” Uther looked between the two men and frowned. “Oh for goodness sake, Arthur, do you never learn?”</p><p>“Learn what, Father?”</p><p>“That these dalliances with boys never end well. Look at the mess I’ve just had to sort out for you! You need to find a nice girl and settle down. Not this strange arrangement you seem to have with the mother of your child and your… whatever, living under the same roof.” </p><p>“Maybe I’ve found a nice boy to settle down with instead.” Arthur raised his chin in defiance.</p><p>“A boy is not going to give you children. Someone like Elena Godwinson would be ideal, you know we had an arrangement since you were both small.”</p><p>“I’m not some trained pet who will fall in love where you point me. And I already have a child, this is her birthday party, thank you for noticing.”</p><p>Uther waved his hand dismissively. “You need someone who can take over the family business.”</p><p>“And in what way, exactly, is my daughter unfit to do that?” There was a low tone to Arthur’s voice that Merlin had never heard before, setting little goosebumps over his skin. “I know what you think of her. I’ve heard your opinions about her being a girl, and her disability and the colour of her skin. What’s today’s issue? Come on, I’m dying to know!”</p><p>“When exactly have I ever said any of that?” Uther actually looked hurt at Arthur’s words. “I know I have my faults, but Alicia is my blood, and that is more important than anything! Morgana is due to inherit half of the company just like you, so please do not accuse me of being sexist, and I have never mentioned race, I would have been delighted if you had married Gwen. I love my granddaughter, I am immensely proud of her, although I do think her disability means life will be more difficult for her than for other children, and you need to accept that.”</p><p>“I will never accept that.” Arthur’s jaw took on a stubborn set and for the first time Merlin was able to see a resemblance between father and son. “My daughter is the best thing in my life and nothing will hold her back, I won’t let it.”</p><p>“Then be wary of expecting too much of your child,” Uther said, shaking his head. “I have it on good authority from both my children that it only leads to resentment.”</p><p>“I am not expecting too much! I’m just not writing her off before she’s even begun!”</p><p>“Arthur, will you just stop and listen to me for once? I am not trying to put Alicia down. She is clever and I think she can probably do anything she sets her mind to. But just last week she wanted to be a doctor, not run a television company. You need more options than just one child.”</p><p>“And the week before that she wanted to be an astronaut, and the week before that she wanted to be a goalkeeper. Next week she’ll probably want to be Queen. Whatever she chooses will be up to her. But you know, I could have twenty children, and none of them might want your business.”</p><p>“Arthur, I am your father, I will not have you talk to me like this!”</p><p>“And I am <i>her</i> father!” Arthur shouted. “Above and beyond everything, I am Alicia’s father. My child will not grow up thinking she’s not good enough, not like Morgana and I did. I wouldn’t change a single thing about her, and if you can’t bring yourself to feel the same then you can leave.”</p><p>“Arthur…”</p><p>“I mean it, father. Get out of my house. This is Alicia’s birthday and I will not let anything or anyone spoil it so I’d like you to go.”</p><p>“Arthur, don’t be like this, you’re being unreasonable!”</p><p>“Uncle Agravaine was right about you.”</p><p>Uther looked confused. “Agravaine? What does he have to do with this?”</p><p>“He told me what you said. He <i>always</i> tells me the horrible things you say. About how the company would never go to ‘Arthur’s bastard disabled daughter’, and a few unsavoury comments that I will not repeat. Well that’s fine, I certainly don’t want the bloody company anyway.”</p><p>“Arthur… when have you ever known me confide in Agravaine about anything? If I seriously thought anything like that I would have no qualms about telling you myself. Is this why you’ve been funny with me for all these months? Why you never let me see my grandchild?”</p><p>“Oh, so what, now he’s lying is he?”</p><p>“Of course he is! That man is a two faced snake, I only ever gave him a job to keep your mother happy, and after that, I kept him on because quite frankly I prefer to know where he is and what he’s up to. Do you think I don’t know he’s in cahoots with Cenred?” </p><p>“Oh come off it, father, he’s mother’s brother! Uncle Agravaine is loyal to the company, and to me!”</p><p>“No, Arthur, he isn’t. This is what he does. He spreads poison trying to divide us, and then when we are all at each other’s throats he thinks he’ll be able to take the company for himself. Perhaps I’ve been wrong in my approach, maybe I should let him go and work for Cenred full time.”</p><p>Arthur looked down at his shoes. “It kills me to think you said those things about Alicia.”</p><p>Uther sighed. “I must admit, I am rather hurt you believed it. I know I haven’t always been there, Arthur, but I had rather hoped you would have more faith in me. My views may seem a little outdated to you, but I am only doing what I think is best. You have a tendency to be too idealistic.”</p><p>Arthur nodded. “Fine. But if you say or do anything to hurt Alicia, in any way, that’s it, I will have nothing more to do with you. And you should know that Merlin is important to me too, and I’m not going to change my mind on that. Anyway, as much as you and Elena’s father have been trying to get us together since we were in nappies, she is dating Elyan.”</p><p>Uther looked at Merlin and shook his head. “I believe Vivian is still single.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Cleaning up after the party seemed to take even longer than the party itself. </p><p>Tom had taken Alicia for the night and Uther had made excuses to leave, meaning Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Lance and Elyan had the joy of restoring the house back to some level of order.</p><p>Having a child-free evening, Gwen left with Lance and Elyan went over to Elena’s.</p><p>“So…” Arthur said, watching Merlin with a small smile on his face. “Looks like we have the house to ourselves.”</p><p>“Looks like we do,” Merlin agreed, suddenly feeling awkward.</p><p>“Let’s open some wine.” Arthur walked into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a bottle and two glasses, and two slices of crocodile cake. “I think we deserve this.”</p><p>Merlin couldn’t contain his moan of delight as he tried the chocolate cake. The green icing had made it look almost inedible, but the actual cake was heaven.</p><p>He looked up to find Arthur watching him, his own forkful of cake poised halfway to his lips.</p><p>“Dammit all, Merlin, it’s really not fair if you are going to start making noises like that!”</p><p>“It’s your fault, you made the cake!” Merlin blinked at him for a moment then grinned as an idea occurred to him. “But if you’re not going to eat it…” he leant forward and ate the bit of cake still on Arthur’s fork, taking care to moan as filthily as he could manage as he did so.</p><p>Arthur stared at him and Merlin couldn’t work out if he was horrified that Merlin had done that or disappointed to lose some of his cake. </p><p>“Here, you really should try it.” He put his fork back into his own slice of cake and then moved it to Arthur’s lips.</p><p>“Hmm, not bad.” Arthur’s voice sounded a little croaky. Maybe it would taste better from a different source. He moved his head and captured Merlin’s lips with his own. “Mmm, definitely tastes better like that.”</p><p>Cake abandoned to the table, they carried on kissing.</p><p>“You know, we could carry this on somewhere more comfortable, if you wanted?” Arthur said, taking Merlin’s hand in his.</p><p>“I…” Merlin pulled his hand away, feeling nervous. “Arthur… I wouldn’t want to ruin our friendship…”</p><p>Arthur nodded but looked hurt. “I had rather hoped we were becoming something more than friends. But it seems every time I try, you knock me back. I suppose I should learn to take a hint.” He managed a smile but it never reached his eyes.</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “It’s not that. Arthur… you are… brilliant. You’re gorgeous, clever, kind… You’re special – I’m… just Merlin. Why would you ever look twice at someone like me?”</p><p>Arthur looked at Merlin like he had two heads. “I’ve been told I’m not good at expressing my feelings, but here goes. You are everything I could ever want. I’ve been completely unsubtly head over heels for you since the start, and the only person who seems to have missed it is you! I don’t just want you for one night, I want you to be <i>with</i> me. I want to be able to point you out to people and say, ‘that’s my partner’. You are beautiful, so beautiful, although you don’t seem to see it, and you’re funny, and smart, and you seem to get me in a way that no one else ever does… I want to take you to my bed and make love to you, and have you make love to me, and I want us to keep doing that for the rest of our lives!”</p><p>“I’m… not who you think I am. You’d get bored with me very quickly. And I should probably tell you that I’m not great in bed. Pretty awful, in fact, by all accounts.”</p><p>“Oh, give me three guesses who told you that! I refuse to take Edwin’s word for anything, Merlin. That man has done so much damage to your self esteem, and it’s all bollocks. Let’s make our own memories and work out for ourselves what we like. I mean, I could live with you never being in my bed at all, so long as I have you in my life, so if you don’t want to it’s fine. I’m not trying to pressure you. I just… I want you, Merlin. Any way I can get you – even if all we ever do in bed is sleep.” </p><p>“Well… I think we can probably do better than that.” He stood up and held out his hand. “Take me to bed, clotpole.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Live and Kicking</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
</p><p>
  <br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Off to explore the magical forgotten gardens of Caerleon! </p><p><span class="x1F41D"><span class="hide">(Honeybee )</span></span></p><p><span>#caerleon #gardens #savethebees #waggledance</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 1.2k<span class="twTime"> 6:56 AM • April 24, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>925 people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
“Finally, we get sent on a nice shoot on a sunny morning with no rain, ice, snow or freezing sea water!” Merlin jumped out of the van and looked around at Caerleon House.</p><p>The house was old, and not in the best state of repair – the owner was trying to keep it within her family rather than selling to the National Trust and was in desperate need of funds. The extensive gardens were soon to be opened to the public, hopefully bringing in some much needed revenue to renovate the house itself. They were a haven for local wildlife and home to some quite rare wild plants, and as such were now under the care of Elyan’s team of conservationists.</p><p>“Merlin!” Elyan walked around the side of the house accompanied by a stern-looking older woman with curly hair that still had a little red in it. “Glad you could make it, this is Lady Annis Caerleon, the current owner. Annis, this is Merlin, Gwaine and Percy.”</p><p>“Pleased to meet you!” Merlin shook her hand. “Thank you so much for letting us into your home.”</p><p>“Well, needs must.” She gave him a guarded smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “You have your friend here to thank really, he assured me you were reliable.”</p><p>Merlin grinned at Elyan. “Cheers mate.” Looking back at Annis he put his professional face back on. “This house is amazing.”</p><p>Annis raised an eyebrow at the house and sniffed. “It’s a crumbling ruin, let’s be honest here. It’s been in the family for centuries – used to be Caerleon Castle, before Cromwell had it defortified during the civil war.”</p><p>“It just needs a little TLC,” Merlin insisted.</p><p>“Well that could be said of all of us,” Annis said with a small laugh. “I’ll leave Elyan and Lancelot to show you around the gardens. As I’m sure you were told, neither I nor the house are camera ready at the moment, maybe you could come back sometime when the renovations are complete.”</p><p>“We could always do a piece actually about what it takes to renovate a listed building like this. Before and after and all that, it might even bring in the tourists.”</p><p>Annis looked thoughtful and nodded. “You have my number. Call me and we’ll discuss it properly when it’s not so early in the morning. Some of us operate better when the sun is over the yardarm.” She nodded at them and retreated back inside.</p><p>“Right then, are you ready to meet the bees?” Elyan asked. “Lance is waiting for us over near the treeline. Really, this garden is incredible. It’s been left to its own devices for decades now, we’ve been trying to regain a semblance of order and make it safe for the public without disturbing the natural habitats that have grown up here.”</p><p>“I was hoping we could maybe work up to the bees. Could I perhaps interview you first? Talk about the garden and all the conservation work you’ve been doing here.” Merlin asked, checking his schedule. “We can get to the bees for the second slot, but it would be nice to get a bit of background and local interest.”</p><p>Elyan was clearly passionate about his plants and his enthusiasm came across well. The garden itself was beautiful and haunting in the early morning light and it wasn’t hard to imagine fairies and sprites hiding in the bushes. </p><p>“Legend says Queen Mab herself resided in the deeper woods at the end of the estate,” Elyan said with a grin. “The locals used to show the deepest respect to the trees in this area so she would show them favour and keep ill fortune away.”</p><p>They eventually found Lance wearing beekeepers garb amid several ancient bee hives. Gwaine in particular found it fascinating, quickly donning the protective gear provided and heading over to the hives. Merlin decided to keep back from the hives rather than wear the suit; he didn’t want any mishaps this time and he’d leave getting too close to the bees to Lance.</p><p>Merlin was chatting to Percy and Elyan, waiting for Finna to count them down to be back on air, when an angry buzzing and commotion behind him made him turn around to see Gwaine dancing backwards and waving his arms, bees flying towards him.</p><p>“I told you not to do that!” Lance said, sounding angry for the first time since Merlin had met him.</p><p>Merlin slapped at his neck as he felt a sharp sting. “Bloody hell, Gwaine, you got me stung!”</p><p>“Are you alright?” Elyan came forward and inspected the injury. “Not allergic to bee stings are you? Gwen said you are allergic to most things.”</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “Not so far as I know, I’ll live I’m sure.”</p><p>“I’ll just grab an epipen to be on the safe side.” Elyan headed off towards the house before Merlin could tell him not to bother.</p><p>Not thinking anything of it, Merlin beckoned Lance over for the interview. They chatted away about bees and what could be done to save the decreasing bee population. He was just wrapping the segment up when he became aware that he was struggling to breathe.</p><p>“Merlin, are you alright?” Why did Percy sound like he was under water? Why could he hear Arthur shouting in his ear, Arthur was back in the studio…</p><p>His tongue felt heavy in his mouth and there was a strange rasping wheezy sound coming from somewhere.</p><p>He opened his mouth to try and speak but for some reason he couldn’t seem to form words. Why was the rough feeling of gravel under his knees? He wasn’t… he… he… …</p><p><i>Emrys… Emrys… come and join us Emrys…</i>, little voices started whispering in his ear. <i>Join us forever… we feel your magic… it calls to us…</i></p><p>There was a sharp prick in his arm and he became aware of the beautiful dark eyes of Lancelot staring deep into his soul.</p><p>“Stay with us, Merlin. Help is coming.” Was that Lance or the other voices?</p><p>“Geez, Merlin, I’m so sorry, please don’t die.” That was definitely Gwaine.</p><p>“He’s going to be fine, the epipen will kick in soon.” Elyan’s voice sounded too far away.</p><p>
  <i>Stay Emrys… forever… don’t leave us… Emrys…</i>
</p><p>“Merlin? Merlin, can you hear me? Merlin! Don’t you dare leave me.”</p><p>He just needed to concentrate on Arthur yelling over his earpiece. Focus on Arthur, nothing else mattered.</p><p>
  <i>Emrys…</i><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
Lights. Bright. Too bright. Hurts. </p><p>“Merlin?” There’s that voice again, softer now. Worried. Arthur.</p><p>He blinked his eyes back open. “…thur?” Whose voice was that? It didn’t sound like his.</p><p>“Merlin! Don’t you fucking dare ever do that to me again!” </p><p>“I’ll fetch the nurse.” Another voice. Maybe Gwen?</p><p>He tried to lift his head but his brain protested as it rattled against his skull so he whimpered instead. </p><p>“It’s ok, don’t try to move. Gwen’s gone to get someone.” Arthur’s hand brushed against his hair.</p><p>“…wt happnd?” he tried to ask but his mouth felt too dry to form proper words.</p><p>“You went into anaphylactic shock caused by a bee sting.” A friendly voice he didn’t recognise. Probably belonged to the woman fussing around by the bed. Where had she come from? Uniform. Nurse. Hospital. Shit. </p><p>“Half scared us all to death.” Arthur’s hand found his. Felt nice.</p><p>“Your friends probably saved your life,” the nurse said. “Hit you with an epipen. Here, let’s get you sat up.” She pressed some buttons on the bed and Merlin felt himself rising up into a sitting position. She held a drink to his mouth and he tried to gulp it down, coughing half of it back up. “Easy now, small sips.”</p><p>“I can do that.” Arthur moved up beside him and held the straw to Merlin’s lips again. This close, he looked like he’d been running his hands through his hair for hours.</p><p>Merlin frowned. “How long?”</p><p>“Oh not long,” the nurse assured him. “Blondie here just likes to cut a dramatic picture trying to pull his own hair out.”</p><p>“Oi!” Arthur started to protest, then shook his head and laughed instead. He put the cup down and took hold of Merlin’s hand again. “I really can’t let you out of the house alone, can I?”</p><p>“It’s not my fault, it was Gwaine.” </p><p>“Right, well, Gwaine and I will be having words, trust me.”</p><p>“He didn’t do it on purpose. He’s just… Gwaine.” Merlin gave up trying to talk, it was too much effort.</p><p>“I know.” Arthur’s mouth quirked up into something that could almost pass as a smile. “He’s out in the waiting room actually. I think he already feels bad enough. Everyone’s here, actually – Elyan and Lance, who are being hailed as heroes for saving your life, Percy, Gwaine, Elena, Gwen and Alicia, your Mum is on her way here. Even Morgana called me to see how you were. The switchboard at the studio has gone completely crazy with all your fans ringing in to make sure you haven’t died or something.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Yes. Well. Just see it doesn’t happen again.” Arthur tightened his grip on Merlin’s hand while the nurse finished her checks. When she left, he simply said, so quietly that Merlin barely heard him. “I don’t know what I would do without you in my life.”</p><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Once again I need to let everyone know that I am alive! I cannot thank Elyan Lyons and Lance DuLac enough for being so quick with an epipen! <span class="x1F44D"><span class="hide">(Thumbs Up Sign ≊ Thumbs Up)</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#bees #merlinsurvives</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 1.3M<span class="twTime"> 7:42 PM • April 23, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>5.8K people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
“So you have a choice,” Arthur stated as he pulled up outside the house the next morning. “Your Mum is on her way here, Gwen and Alicia are picking her up from the station in about ten minutes. So, either Gwen goes to stay with Lance for a few days and your Mum has her room, or you move into my room.”</p><p>Merlin raised both eyebrows and turned to Arthur. “Is this just your really unsubtle way of getting me into your bed again?”</p><p>Arthur coughed and flushed bright red. “I would sleep on the sofa, obviously!”</p><p>Merlin shook his head. “No, I’m not putting either you or Gwen out of your beds. Mam can have my room. I’ll take the sofa, I mean, if it wasn’t my Mam we could share or something, but not with her just down the hall. She’d be hearing wedding bells before you know it and we all know how you feel about that. Not that I blame you, I mean this is earlier than even early days….” He bit his lip to make himself stop rambling. Way to go Merlin, talk about weddings to someone you’ve only just started seeing, let’s see how fast you can scare him off!</p><p>Arthur folded his arms, a belligerent look crossing his features. “Merlin, you literally  just nearly died, you’re not sleeping on the sofa. And I’m hardly going to molest you when your mum is here and you’ve just got out of hospital.”</p><p>“Well you have your big race on Sunday, you need a good night’s sleep.” Ha, did Arthur think he had the monopoly on stubborn? Merlin could win that one hands down.</p><p>Arthur shook his head. “I’m not running.”</p><p>Merlin turned in his seat to look at Arthur properly. “You bloody well are!”</p><p>“There are more important things in life than running a marathon.”</p><p>“Arthur, you bloody… sodding… <i>cabbage head</i>! You’ve been training for this for months! You’ve had me training for it, you’ve even made Gwen go out running with you, you’ve bored everyone silly with it. You are not backing out now.”</p><p>“But…”</p><p>“No, no buts. Now get in the house and do whatever weird rituals you do the day before a race. At the very least take Kil out, he’s probably sat by the door with his legs crossed. I’ll go and change the sheets on my bed and Mam can sleep there.”</p><p>“I really don’t think…”</p><p>Merlin interrupted him as he opened the car door. “No, thinking is not your strong point, is it? Go on, get moving.”</p><p>Arthur sighed but stood up.</p><p>"Oh and Arthur," Merlin said before he could leave the room. "I'm sorry I won't be running with you."</p><p>Arthur looked a little sheepish as he rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "Ah, about that… look, I'm flattered you think my powers of persuasion are that good Merlin, but even I couldn't get someone into the marathon at one-month's notice. You really didn't have to go to these lengths to get out of it."</p><p>Merlin sat and blinked at him as the words sank in. Arthur was already out the door and cackling on his way down the hall when Merlin threw a cushion at where he'd been standing.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“Cariad, can I not let you out of my sight for a moment?” For a fairly short woman, Hunith certainly had the ability to pull her 6ft son down into a bone crushing hug that might well land him back in hospital.</p><p>“I’m fine, Mam. Although I’d quite like to be able to breathe.” He grinned at her as she finally let him straighten up. “It’s good to see you though. Why did I have to nearly die to get you to visit England?”</p><p>“Oh hush!” She swatted him on the arm and pretended not to be on the verge of tears. “You really shouldn’t make jokes like that, Merlin. I nearly lost you.” She pulled him back down into the bone-crushing hug.</p><p>“Can I offer you a cup of tea, Mrs Emrys?” Gwen asked as she led them all into the kitchen.</p><p>“Oh bless you, the tea on the train was barely worthy of the name, and I’d have had to remortgage the farm to get a cup. But please call me Hunith, Mrs Emrys makes me sound like an old biddy.”</p><p>“I’m afraid we haven’t any cake, my kitchen boy spent the night fussing over Merlin in the hospital. I might be able to rustle up a packet of custard creams,” Gwen said as she bent down to search in the cupboard for biscuits.</p><p>“The kitchen boy?” Arthur looked scandalised. “I’ll have you know I’m a national treasure!”</p><p>Gwen rolled her eyes. “Ignore him, he has delusions of grandeur, I might have to let him go. Besides, he’s supposed to be running in the marathon tomorrow, so he probably should lay off the cake.”</p><p>“Oh you don’t need to go to any trouble for me, dear. I’ve only ever tried to bake a cake twice in my life, and Merlin here can testify that every birthday cake he ever had from Tesco was much better than that one I tried to make when he was eight.”</p><p>Merlin snorted. “Will and I thought the big dip in the middle was great, we filled it with jelly and ice cream.”</p><p>“You see what I have to put up with, Gwen? You’re lucky, girls are much kinder to their mothers—” she broke off and stared at Kilgharrah who had just come in the back door. “Oh my, I know you said the dog was big, Merlin, but are you sure that’s actually a dog and not a horse?”</p><p>“Don’t say that, you’ll give him a complex!” Merlin reached over and ruffled Kilgharrah’s head. “Kil, this is my Mam, say hello.”</p><p>Kil said hello in his usual way, by trying to lick her face. Alicia laughed as Hunith screwed up her nose and backed away. </p><p>“Merlin, can you move Kil out of the way before these drinks end up on the floor?” Gwen asked as she brought over the cups. </p><p>“Arthur was telling me he’s not going to run tomorrow.” </p><p>“Tattletale,” Arthur said, sticking his tongue out at Merlin.</p><p>Merlin smirked at him. “Apparently my trip to hospital means he can’t run. I have no idea how that works but I need you all to help me persuade him to stop being a prat.”</p><p>“Merlin! Arthur is very kindly putting you, and me, up in his house. You shouldn’t talk to him like that,” Hunith scolded.</p><p>Arthur looked at Merlin and smirked. “See, Merlin. You shouldn’t talk to me like that.”</p><p>“He has a point though, Arthur. Why are you being a prat?” Gwen asked innocently, nearly making Merlin snort tea through his nose.</p><p>“I am not a prat!” </p><p>“What’s a prat?” Alicia asked.</p><p>“Your Daddy,” Merlin signed back. </p><p>Alicia blinked at Merlin and then looked over at Arthur with a frown on her face. “Why is everyone being mean to Daddy?”</p><p>“That’s my champion!” Arthur said, sitting down next to his daughter and planting a kiss on the top of her head. </p><p>Merlin raised an eyebrow and turned back to Alicia. “You know how your Daddy has been training very hard for months and months?” She nodded. “Well, the race he’s supposed to take part in is tomorrow, and now he says he’s not going.”</p><p>Alicia turned wide eyes on Arthur. “But Daddy, you have to go! You always tell me I have to do things I don’t want to.”</p><p>Arthur glared at Merlin. “I do want to go, Sweetie, but Uncle Merlin just got out of hospital.”</p><p>“But that means he shouldn’t run, not you.” She cocked her head to one side and narrowed her eyes in a scary imitation of her Aunty Morgana.</p><p>“I’m being completely ganged up on here, aren’t I?”</p><p>Everyone nodded their agreement.</p><p>Arthur huffed in mock outrage. “Fine, I know my place. How about the kitchen boy here makes some lunch for us all. Merlin, maybe you can show your Mum where she’s sleeping.”</p><p>“Did you decide on my room or Merlin’s?” Gwen asked. “I don’t mind spending a few nights with Lance.”</p><p>“I bet you don’t. But sadly for you, Hunith will be in Merlin’s room.”</p><p>“I don’t want to put anyone out,” Hunith said. “I can easily get a hotel.”</p><p>“We wouldn’t hear of it. One of the boys can sleep on the sofa in the living room, it’s quite comfortable,” Gwen said.</p><p>“I can take the settee, I mean, Merlin just got out of hospital and Arthur has a big race tomorrow,” Hunith said.</p><p>“You are not sleeping on the sofa, Mam.” Merlin got up and went over to grab Hunith’s bags from beside the door. “I’m fine now, honestly. A few nights sleeping down here won’t hurt me. I’ll show you your room.”</p><p>“You boys could always share, you know.”</p><p>“Mam!”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/>
<p><br/>
</p>
<p>After lunch, Gwen took Hunith out to show her around the village while Merlin, Arthur and Alicia went out into the garden to repot the tomatoes Alicia was growing for a school project.</p><p>Merlin had actually dozed off sitting on the garden bench when he became aware of Arthur’s raised voice at the front door.  </p><p>“Stop coming round to my house, stop calling me. This is harassment! I did nothing to Gareth, nothing. I tried to be nice and my reward has been this. I’ve had months of your son stalking me and now you’ve started doing it too! I should have got a restraining order or something, you can’t keep doing this. I have a family.”</p><p>“Oh that’s right. <i>You</i> have a family. You took mine away! How would you like it if your child was taken from you and you didn’t even know where she was!”</p><p>Merlin walked into the house, leaving Alicia playing with Kil in the garden. He could hear Arthur trying to be reasonable.</p><p>“You are right, I wouldn’t like that. But Alicia is seven, Gareth is twenty. It is up to him where he goes and who he tells. I promise you, he is in good hands.”</p><p>“Why should I listen to you? This is all your fault.”</p><p>As Merlin walked down the hall towards them he saw Lot push Arthur so he stumbled back into the house. Before he could even think about it, Merlin was standing between the two men.</p><p>“Leave him alone!”</p><p>“Oh, I see. The fancy piece is here again. Does he know you go through young men like they’re expendable?” Lot looked Merlin up and down like he was something dirty. “Give him another week and you’ll be out on your ear too and he’ll have moved onto ruining someone else’s life. I bet he never told you what he did to my boy, did he? Turned him into a pervert like him and then threw him to the kerb when he’d had his way.”</p><p>“I never ‘had my way’!” Arthur protested. </p><p>“Arthur told me everything.” Merlin squared his shoulders as he stood up to Lot. “Maybe you need to look a little closer to home before apportioning blame. Maybe—”</p><p>A shrill scream from the back of the house followed by loud barking interrupted the argument.</p><p>Merlin was running back through the house only seconds behind Arthur without even realising he’d started to move. </p><p>Alicia was on the ground clutching her arm. A man in a balaclava was pinned up against the wall by fifteen stone of snarling mastiff. </p><p>The moment Arthur ran into the garden, Alicia ran to him, tears streaming down her face. “Daddy, he climbed over the wall and grabbed my arm.”</p><p>“Call the dog off!” The man’s voice came out at an unnaturally high pitch. Kilgharrah’s front paws were on his chest so they were roughly the same height. Kil was snarling with real menace and Merlin was suddenly reminded how everyone in the dog’s home had been so scared of his usually gentle dog. </p><p>“Kilgharrah, don’t eat him. Yet.” Merlin walked over, magic bristling beneath his skin. He could hear Arthur calling 999 behind him.</p><p>“Police? This is surely all just overreacting?” For some reason Lot seemed to have followed them out to the garden. </p><p>“Overreacting? He tried to take my daughter!”</p><p>“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Merlin reached out and yanked the balaclava off the man’s head. “Daniel?” a handsome man who Merlin had interviewed a few weeks ago was standing in front of him. “Daniel Myror? What the hell?”</p><p>Daniel Myror was a prominent business man, head of Mercia Music, Merlin had chatted with him on the <i>Wake Up</i> sofa when he stood in for Arthur. He’d <i>liked</i> him! Why on earth was he climbing over the wall into Arthur’s garden?</p><p>Myror’s head thumped back against the wall. “Please just call the dog off. I wouldn’t have hurt her, I swear.” </p><p>Merlin closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He could feel the magic thrumming away and he knew his eyes were probably golden from where he was holding it all at bay. He understood exactly how Kilgharrah felt, his family had been threatened and he would do anything to keep them safe. </p><p>“Please…” Myror said again. “He didn’t tell me there was a dog… I can’t….”</p><p>“Who didn’t?” Arthur asked. </p><p>“I had no choice, I worked too hard to let him take my company away.” Myror was babbling now, Merlin almost felt sorry for him. Almost. “I wouldn’t have let him hurt her, I was just supposed to take her to the park or something to make you worry.”</p><p>“You were going to take my child from her own back garden, she’s terrified!” Arthur tried to move forward but Alicia was still clinging to him. “Kilgharrah, come away. I need to talk to him.”</p><p>Kil ignored Arthur and growled low in his throat. </p><p>Lot snorted. “You can’t even keep that mutt under control, can you? They’ll probably put it down as a dangerous animal.”</p><p>Merlin turned and he knew from the intake of breath from Arthur that he hadn’t fully got the glow of magic from his eyes. He flung his hand out and Lot was suddenly pressed up against the house in a similar manner to how Kilgharrah had Myror. </p><p>“Kilgharrah is perfectly within his rights. You threatened his family on his own territory, what did you think he would do?” He walked forward, only dimly aware of a wind that had picked up around him, whistling through the air as he spoke. </p><p>“Merlin, let him go, this has nothing to do with him.” Arthur’s voice was shaky behind him but still firm. Merlin was distantly aware that Alicia was crying louder and he knew he had to stop but he couldn’t seem to get the magic under control.</p><p>“Of course it does, he wants to hurt you, take your child. Who else could it be?” </p><p>He was dimly aware of Lot struggling to breath, the sound amplified in his ears even from where he stood. The sky darkened, leaves whipping up around them,  and a rumble of thunder echoed through his head.</p><p>“Merlin Llewellyn Emrys! Stop this at once!” That was his mother’s voice, when had she returned?</p><p>He sensed rather than saw Alicia go running to Gwen as he tried to focus on his mother’s voice. Then Arthur was touching his arm. “Merlin?”</p><p>It felt almost like Arthur’s touch had earthed the electricity running through Merlin’s veins and he stopped. Looking around, he realised it was raining, but even as he looked, the wind died down and the clouds parted. </p><p>Hunith was biting her lip and Lot was coughing with his hand to his throat. Looking over his shoulder, Kilgharrah still had Daniel Myror pinned to the wall and Gwen was looking scared with Alicia pressed up against her crying quieter now. Arthur… He couldn’t read Arthur. </p><p>A car pulled up outside, heavy footsteps, a knock on the door. “Police.”</p><p>Merlin finally relaxed and let go of the last of his magic, releasing Lot from his hold. “Kil, let him down.” His words were quiet, but the dog instantly backed away, although not without a last threatening growl before he moved over to press his nose to Merlin’s hand.</p><p>Merlin sank to his knees beside his dog on the now wet grass. What had he done?<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“I want that man arrested!” Lot said, pointing at Merlin the moment the two police officers entered the garden. “And the dog needs to be destroyed!”</p><p>The male police officer followed Lot’s pointing finger and moved towards Merlin while the woman took out a notebook. “And what exactly is the problem here?”</p><p>“They tried to kidnap my daughter!” Arthur said before Lot could start. “Our dog saved her.”</p><p>The policeman’s hand closed on Merlin’s arm, issuing a loud growl from Kilgharrah. </p><p>“Not him, he lives here. Them.” He indicated Lot and Myror. </p><p>“This has nothing to do with me! I was visiting the house when the ruckus broke out, <i>that</i> man used magic on me!” Lot waved a finger at Merlin.</p><p>All eyes went back to Merlin. He shook his head and opened his mouth but no sound came out. </p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hunith said calmly. “There is no such thing as magic, you are just trying to shift the blame. Either that or you have been drinking.”</p><p>Lot sneered at her. “I know what I saw, I have witnesses. And that dog is out of control.”</p><p>“You are a liar!” Alicia moved out of Gwen’s arms and went to stand beside Kilgharrah. “My Killy saved me when that man hurt my arm!” Even though she wasn’t actually his, Merlin felt so proud of the little girl standing in the middle of the grass, glaring down all the adults. </p><p>“Who tried to hurt you, sweetie?” the female police officer asked, not really looking up from her notepad. </p><p>Alicia stamped her foot. “You have to look at me when you talk, I’m deaf.” She made a big point of signing her words as she spoke.</p><p>Arthur put his hand on Alicia’s shoulder before speaking. “His name is Daniel Myror, he’s CEO of Mercia Music. He tried to take my daughter from our back garden while <i>this</i> man, Abel Lot, distracted me. Lot has been harassing us for weeks now.” </p><p>“That is outrageous! I will not accept this slander. I was attacked without provocation.” Lot narrowed his eyes. “I want charges brought. These people all witnessed that man attack me with magic.”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous.” Daniel Myror stepped forward with a sneer on his face. “There is no such thing as magic.” There was no way Myror hadn’t seen what Merlin did, and Merlin couldn’t understand he would be protecting him.</p><p>“Myror, think about what you are saying.” The warning note in Lot’s voice was clear to all. “You saw him!”</p><p>“I saw nothing. I was here because you told me if I took the girl you would make my debt disappear – a debt that only exists because of your exorbitant rates of interest.”</p><p>“I didn’t see anything strange,” Gwen spoke up, her voice shaky. “All I saw was everyone shouting and then Merlin called the dog off. Magic only exists in fairy tales.”</p><p>“I certainly saw no magic,” Hunith added. “Kilgharrah was simply protecting his human child, I would say he deserves a reward.”</p><p>“Let’s all calm down.” the policeman said. “I think you two gentlemen had better accompany us down to the station. I’ll send another patrol to speak to the family.” He clicked the radio attached to his vest and requested a second car.</p><p>“Merlin, are you alright?” Gwen stepped up beside Merlin and helped him to his feet.</p><p>Merlin looked at her, hope blooming in his chest. Would she forgive him? “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”</p><p>Gwen gave him a smile but still managed to look wary of him. “You and Kilgharrah saved my baby girl. There is nothing to be sorry for.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
It was getting late by the time the police left. Everyone seemed to be moving around Merlin with a forced sense of ‘we are all fine with this’, whilst at the same time no one mentioned the massive elephant in the room.</p><p>Merlin had done magic, big magic, and they’d all seen it. With the exception of Hunith, none of them had known that was even a possibility. Gwen was being overly ‘fine’ with everything, Alicia was clearly unsure of him, and Arthur… Arthur had barely looked in Merlin’s direction since it happened.</p><p>“Are you alright?” Hunith took his hand and led him back outside as Gwen and Arthur tried to prepare food like everything was normal.</p><p>Merlin shrugged and attempted a smile. “I’ve ruined everything, haven’t I? They think I’m a freak, they’ll never let me stay. And Arthur… Mam…” He could feel tears starting to burn at the back of his eyes and he tried to blink them back.</p><p>His mother pulled him down into a hug. “Cariad, it came as a shock to them, that’s all. And they’re English, so they are desperately trying to pretend that everything is fine and they didn’t just see someone they know and trust perform real magic right in front of them. Give them time.”</p><p>“Time? What, time to decide I’m a freak and have me locked up?”</p><p>Hunith sighed. “They lied to the police to protect you already, they didn’t even have to think about it. Trust works both ways, if you want them to trust you maybe you need to start trusting them? Gwen is a lovely, kind, intelligent woman who considers you a friend, I’m sure if you just talk to her she will understand.”</p><p>“And Arthur?”</p><p>“I have barely had the chance to talk to Arthur yet, but from what I have seen he is not like his father. You have to give him a chance.”</p><p>“This is the complete opposite to what you have told me my whole life. Don’t tell anyone about the magic, Merlin, stop doing that, Merlin, keep it hidden, Merlin.”</p><p>“I think it is a little late on that one, don’t you? Now it’s about damage control. Go and talk to them. I’ll take Alicia and Kilgharrah out, she can show me the park.”</p><p>“I don’t think Arthur and Gwen will let her out of their sight ever again. And what if she’s scared of Kil now?”</p><p>Hunith raised an eyebrow and directed Merlin’s attention to the kitchen window, where he could see Alicia inside, curled up on a beanbag with Kilgharrah and Aithusa. “She doesn’t seem scared of him to me; he’s her hero. It will do her good to go out, prove that there is nothing to be afraid of. Besides, Kilgharrah will protect her from anything. As would you.”</p><p>“I can’t face Arthur, Mam.”</p><p>She reached up and smoothed down his hair. “That boy looks at you like you hung the moon. If he is going to be this easily put off then he is not the man I hope he is. But you have already left this all too long. Go!” She gave him a gentle push towards the kitchen.</p><p>Hunith managed to appear completely at ease as she walked into the house. “Maybe Alicia could show me the park, I’m sure she could do with a change of scene.”</p><p>The apprehensive look Gwen gave her daughter was hard to miss. “Oh. Um, I’m not sure that’s a good idea… I mean… it’s not that I don’t trust you or anything… but you know… what with everything… I mean…”</p><p>“Let them go, Gwen. Getting out will do Alicia good, if we coddle her now she might never want to leave the house again.” Arthur didn’t turn around from the stove.</p><p>“But what if they are waiting for her? Someone tried to snatch her away today, Arthur! They could be lying in wait.”</p><p>“They are in police custody, they won’t try anything. And she’ll have Hunith and Kilgharrah with her – Kilgharrah has already proved that no one is getting past him.”</p><p>“We won’t go far, and I’ll take my phone,” Hunith said.</p><p>“We need to try and keep things normal for her. Even if they are not normal at all.” Arthur’s gaze briefly skittered over Merlin and then instantly moved away.</p><p>Gwen, ever observant, watched Arthur for a moment before putting down the onion she was chopping and going over to rinse her hands off. “Actually, some fresh air would be nice. I’ll come with you.”</p><p>“Oh. But I think Merlin would quite like to talk to both of you.” Hunith had clearly given up on the pretence at subtlety. </p><p>Gwen smiled at Merlin. “We’ll have time to talk later. Or maybe even tomorrow when Arthur is running his race.”</p><p>“I’m not running.” Arthur moved over to finish chopping the vegetables.</p><p>Gwen rolled her eyes. “Arthur, you are preparing brown rice and beans for yourself, rather than having some of this lovely veggie chilli like the rest of us. Now, stop being silly. And don’t you dare put coriander in the guacamole while I’m gone, it tastes like bedbugs.” She kissed his cheek and then Merlin’s before going over to persuade Alicia to go to the park with them.</p><p>Arthur picked up the onion Gwen had put down and carried on trying to ignore Merlin. </p><p>“I’m sorry.” </p><p>Arthur still ignored him and moved on to the tomatoes, chopping perhaps with rather more force than necessary.</p><p>“Arthur… please.”</p><p>The backdoor shut quietly as Hunith, Gwen and Alicia left. </p><p>“What the hell was that, Merlin?” Hurt, anger, betrayal. Arthur’s voice was low and he wouldn’t look up from his chopping board.</p><p>“I was just…” This was even harder than he’d thought. He spent so much of his life never telling anyone about the magic, he didn’t know the words to do now that he was finally allowed to say it. </p><p>“Just? What? Trickery? Special effects? Witchcraft? Come on, tell me. You’ve been living in my house for the last four months, we’ve been… whatever the hell we are to each other. Explain it to me.” Arthur stabbed the knife point down into the chopping board so it stayed there, wobbling slightly. </p><p>“I…”</p><p>“Well come on!” Arthur’s attempt at keeping his voice even was failing and he was pretty close to shouting now. “Explain to me how the man I thought I was falling for, someone who I let look after my kid, someone I had in my bed, managed to pin a man up against the wall of the house from the other side of the garden! Not to mention the whole weird thing with the wind and the rain. Did you know your eyes glowed gold? Seriously, Merlin. What. The. Fuck?”</p><p>“I have magic. I mean, obviously. You spotted that.”</p><p>“There is no such thing as magic.” There was a stubborn set to Arthur’s jaw even though he must know by now that he was wrong.</p><p>“That’s the line you’re going with?” Merlin flicked his hand at the chopping board, the rest of the tomatoes and chillies all suddenly falling apart neatly sliced. “There really is.” </p><p>Arthur closed his eyes and shook his head as though the very act of denial would make it not true. “It’s not possible.”</p><p>“It’s perfectly possible, it’s just improbable. Once you eliminate the impossible, and all that.”</p><p>“Fuck off, you are not Sherlock Holmes.” Arthur could quite stop the brief snort of laughter.</p><p>“This is something I was born with. I have no control over it, I didn’t choose it. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but when exactly should I have done that? At the job interview? When you put a roof over my head? When I realised you weren’t such a prat after all? When I fell in love with you and couldn’t bear the thought of you looking at me exactly how you are now? And what was I supposed to say? ‘Oh hey, you know how I’m called after that wizard? Well surprise!’”</p><p>“You could have said <i>something</i>!”</p><p>“And maybe I would have! But there are very few people in the world who know, and one of them was Edwin, who used it against me because he’s a bastard. I have been keeping this secret since I was born. And what would you have done, eh? Had me arrested? Sectioned? Locked away for the sake of science? Used me for a story?”</p><p>“Of course not! How could you even think that?”</p><p>“You say that now, but how can I ever be sure? I’m used to not telling people.”</p><p>“You could have tried trusting me. I… I <i>love you</i>, Merlin. I’ve tried so hard not to, but there is just something about you…” Arthur’s eyes suddenly widened as a new thought occurred. “Are my feelings even real or did you use your magic to manipulate me?”</p><p>Merlin took a step backwards. Arthur could have punched him in the face and it would have hurt less. “I would never…”</p><p>Arthur must have seen something in Merlin’s expression. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”</p><p>“It’s fine.” Merlin looked down at his hands. Was it fine? “It’s a lot to take in. Look, I’ll see if I can book Mam and me into a hotel, we’ll get out of your hair. Although you might have to keep Kil for now.”</p><p>“No! Wait… Please, I’m sorry, I don’t want you to go. I just… I mean what the actual hell, Merlin? What did you… how? I can’t even get my head around this!”</p><p>“I’m still the same person I was this morning. I just… I can do certain things that other people can’t. But I mean, you can do things I can’t. Like cooking.”</p><p>“Really? That’s what you’re going with? You are comparing me making a Victoria sponge with you making it rain on a sunny day?”</p><p>“Well… cakes are pretty impressive,” he attempted to joke, then sighed as it fell flat before the words were even out of his mouth. “You know what I mean. I’m still me, I’m still allergic to pretty much everything on the planet, I still trip over my own feet, I still have a gift for opening my big mouth and saying the wrong thing. It’s not like I’m about to take over the world or anything.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“I don’t know, I was born like this. My Tad could do it too.”</p><p>“No, I mean why are you content to just be a journalist, getting up at four in the morning. Why were you living in some crappy bedsit when you could have anything you want literally just by snapping your fingers?”</p><p>Merlin frowned and then shrugged. “Well… it would just be wrong to use it like that. It’s like that’s not what the magic is for? Ok, yes I might occasionally exact a petty revenge with something small, but that’s all. I earned my degree the hard way, I got where I am the hard way, just like everyone else. Magic requires balance, you can’t just abuse it for your own ends.”</p><p>“So, by making it rain today?”</p><p>“That was instinctual magic. We might get a small heatwave or something, or it could snow in April, or they could have a thunderstorm in Auckland. I couldn’t say for sure. As for Lot, he got what he deserved. He tried to hurt my family.”</p><p>“That’s really how you see us? Family?”</p><p>Merlin stopped, uncertain. He’d said that without really thinking. “I know I’m probably overstepping my bounds, but yes you’re my family, just like Mam and Will and Gaius.” </p><p>Arthur just stood there for a moment staring at him and Merlin was starting to think he’d really offended him. Then, with a speed that took Merlin by surprise, Arthur crossed the kitchen in a few strides and the next thing Merlin knew Arthur’s lips were on his.</p><p>Merlin’s head felt fuzzy, whether from fatigue or confusion or just the feeling of Arthur’s firm body and soft lips pressed up against him, he couldn’t say. </p><p>“What was that for?” he blurted out when Arthur stepped back.</p><p>“I, um. I’m sorry, I really shouldn’t have done that.” Arthur seemed so unsure of himself. </p><p>“No!” Merlin said quickly. “No. I mean, it was… nice…”</p><p>The side of Arthur’s mouth quirked up into a small smile – that soft and private smile that made Merlin feel like they were the only two people in the entire world. </p><p>“Do you have any idea how hot that was earlier?” Arthur said.</p><p>Merlin blinked at him, frowning in confusion. “What?”</p><p>Arthur’s arms snaked around Merlin’s waist, pulling them back together. “That whole magic thing. I’m so conflicted, I don’t understand any of it, and I’m beyond hurt that you lied to me, but at the same time, the way your voice sounded, the way your eyes lit up… God, I thought you were sexy speaking Welsh, but that was a whole new level. You controlled the fucking elements, Merlin. And you saved our little Lissy. And yes I was scared and confused, but I can honestly say I have never been so turned on in my life.”</p><p>“I thought… I thought I’d ruined everything.”</p><p>Arthur sighed, and they were standing so close that Merlin could feel Arthur’s breath ghost across his face. “And I thought I knew you, I thought we were close, and then there was this person standing there who I didn’t know at all. But there’s just something about you, Merlin.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”</p><p>Arthur took a step back. “Let’s not do recriminations any more. So we still have some getting to know each other to do, but surely we can spend the rest of our lives doing that. I have this whole marathon thing tomorrow that no one seems willing to let me get out of, and I really need to concentrate on that, but after I think we should spend some proper time together.” Arthur bit his lip and closed his eyes. “Maybe I’ll ask you on a date, and this time you won’t think I’m asking you to babysit, or end up inviting the whole company along like you did on my birthday.” He opened his eyes again, and watched Merlin for a reaction.</p><p>Merlin found his mouth stretching into a stupid dopey grin without the actual permission of his brain and before he could over think things as usual, he leant forward and pressed his lips to Arthur’s. Kissing seemed easier than talking, nothing to concentrate on but the soft feeling of Arthur’s lips, the smell of his shower gel, his skin… the warmth of Arthur’s skin under Merlin’s hands as they somehow found their way around his waist… the small sounds he made…</p><p>The sound of a dog barking made them break apart and attempt to straighten their appearance. </p><p>“Those squirrels must be in the oak tree again,” Arthur said with a laugh as he quickly walked back over to the stove.</p><p>Merlin laughed as he sat down on one of the stools by the counter and tried to look innocent. </p><p>Alicia was first through the kitchen door. She ran up to Merlin and, with a very serious face, she signed ‘I love you’ at him before flinging her arms around him for a quick hug. “Granny Hunith said you were upset and I don’t want you to be upset,” she said before darting over to Arthur and hugging him too.</p><p>“Granny Hunith?” Merlin asked as his mother made her way over. </p><p>Hunith shrugged. “She said she had two Grandads and no Grandmother so could she call me Granny. Gwen didn’t seem to mind. I take it you boys have sorted everything out?” </p><p>“Yes, Mam, everything is fine.”</p><p>She studied his face for a moment and then Arthur’s before smirking at them both. “You know, your Tad’s beard always used to leave a red rash on me too. You might want to consider shaving, for Arthur’s sake.” She patted his shoulder and walked over to Gwen with a smirk on her face. Moments later he heard Gwen laughing and he knew his face was the colour of those tomatoes.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr2"/><p><br/>
“You don’t have to sleep on the sofa, if you don’t want to.” Gwen and Hunith had taken Alicia to bed and Arthur was stood in the doorway to the living room with his arms full of spare duvet and pillows.</p><p>“Oh? Where else am I supposed to sleep?” </p><p>“My bed is pretty big.”</p><p>“Arthur… we’ve been through this, my Mam will be just down the hall.” Merlin really wanted to just shut up and and go with Arthur, but he didn’t seem to be able to. “Don’t you sporty people have strict routines to stick to? No sex before a race and all that.”</p><p>Arthur dumped the spare bedding on the sofa and rubbed the back of his neck looking a bit awkward as he attempted to grin. “Who said anything about sex? We don’t have to do anything else but sleep. I like having you taking up most of the space in my bed. My usual routine the night before a race is to go to bed early and then lie awake half the night thinking about tomorrow.”</p><p>“Ah, so you want to keep me up all night too?”</p><p>The grin on Arthur’s face this time was positively filthy. “Well, if you insist…”</p><p>Merlin laughed then. “Have you been asking Gwaine for help with pick up lines?”</p><p>“Did they work?”</p><p>“Maybe.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Best of luck to <span>@wakeupArthur</span> today in the Marathon! And good luck to my lifesavers Elyan Lyons and Lance DuLac who are also running!</p><p><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span><span class="x1F3C3"><span class="hide">(Runner )</span></span></p><p>
      <span>#marathon #attackofthedrones</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3.6k<span class="twTime"> 7:36 AM • April 26, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>1.3K people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
When Merlin awoke, the other side of the bed was already empty. </p><p>He tucked Arthur’s dressing gown around himself and made his way downstairs.</p><p>Arthur was fortunately still there, sitting on one of the stools dressed in a tracksuit and eating porridge and banana.</p><p>“Morning,” Merlin said, pressing a kiss to Arthur’s cheek. </p><p>“Hi.” That soft little smile was back on Arthur’s face. “Sleep well?”</p><p>“Brilliant. You?” He kissed Arthur on the mouth this time. “You taste of bananas.” He wrinkled his nose, only half serious. He could put up with the taste and smell of banana if it meant he got to kiss Arthur.</p><p>“Got to eat a nutritious breakfast, Merlin. Got to keep my stamina up. Will you be coming to the race? Gwen and Alicia will be there.”</p><p>Merlin glanced at the clock. “What time do we have to be there?”</p><p>Arthur shook his head. “No, don’t come to the start line, I don’t need the distraction. Come to the finish line, give me a reason to beat Elyan.”</p><p>“I thought your hatred of rollercoasters was all the reason you needed? What time do we need to be there?”</p><p>“It’ll start around tenish, I hope to make it somewhere between four and a half to five hours, I made four hours thirty-seven last year. Gwen usually gets there fairly early to make sure they get a good place. Elyan is really good and will probably make good time, even in costume, so I’ll have to work hard to beat him. I don’t know about Lance, this is his first year.”</p><p>“Five hours? I didn’t realise it would take that long!”</p><p>“Well I’m not bloody Mo Farah, how long did you think it would take?” </p><p>“No idea to be honest. All I remember from running the Cardiff Half Marathon was wanting to die pretty much the whole way round. It’s just as well I’m not running today, you’d leave me for dust and I’d be coming in some time tomorrow morning.”</p><p>Arthur rolled his eyes. “You’re not that bad. I’m starting to think you deliberately got stung by that bee so you could use it as an excuse to drop out.”</p><p>“Of course, I used magic to ask a bee to nearly kill me, and kill itself by the way, just to get out of running a race I never actually agreed to take part in.”</p><p>“I thought as much. Lance will never forgive you for murdering that bee.” Arthur glanced at the clock and gulped down the remainder of his coffee before taking his plate and dumping it in the sink. “So, I’ll see you at the finish line?” </p><p>Merlin nodded. “I’ll see you at the finish line.” He kissed Arthur again, loving that he was finally able to do that.</p><p>“Mmm, much as I would love to carry on with this, and move it upstairs, I really need to go and finish getting ready.” Arthur gave Merlin one last kiss before heading back up to the bathroom.</p><p>Gwen and Alicia were up before Arthur left. Merlin had a suspicion his mother must have been up long before that, life on a farm had trained her into early rising even more than working on breakfast television had for him. </p><p>Lance and Elyan soon turned up to collect Arthur and then the rest of them got breakfast and settled down in front of the television. Elena was hosting the marathon coverage for <i>Sporting Chance</i>, one of Pendragon Media’s most popular shows after <i>Wake Up</i>.</p><p>“I bet she talks to Arthur,” Gwen said, settling down onto the sofa next to Alicia. </p><p>Merlin snorted. “I bet Uther gave explicit instructions to talk to Arthur.”</p><p>Sure enough, around forty-five minutes later, Elena found Arthur pinning a number to his chest. Just behind him were two enormous honey bees.</p><p>“Oh my god, I thought they were joking about the costumes! They’ll die of heatstroke or something!” Merlin sat forward to stare at the screen, just to prove to himself that the bees really were Elyan and Lance. He shuddered – he’d really had quite enough of bees lately.</p><p>Gwen shook her head and laughed. “That’s my little brother, folks!”</p><p>“Let’s not forget your boyfriend,” Merlin reminded her.</p><p>Gwen wrinkled her nose. “Having seen this I might have changed my mind on that. Elyan I have no choice about.” The fond smile on her face showed that she really didn’t mean it about either of them.</p><p>“Just how many people do you know in this race?” Hunith asked.</p><p>“Just the three of them. And Elena, of course. Elena works with us, and she’s seeing my brother. Just you wait, he’ll have her running it next year.”</p><p>“You make it sound like your brother forces people to run marathons,” Hunith said.</p><p>“Well, Elyan gets obsessions about things, and then tries to bore everyone else to death about them. It’s like he decides to become an expert about something and then does all the research to make it true. When he was a teenager he used to bore everyone silly about Tottenham Hotspur, even wrote an English essay about them – at least he doesn’t drone on quite so much about Spurs as he used to.”</p><p>Merlin giggled and nudged Gwen, nodding towards Elyan on the TV where he was now talking to Elena about bees. “‘Drone’, good one!” </p><p>Gwen laughed and rolled her eyes. “Pun was not intended, but it’s very fitting!” </p><p>Hunith nodded. “Merlin’s Tad was a bit like that. It’s sort of how we ended up with alpacas. That and the fact that Merlin seems to be allergic to everything on the planet. Balinor started researching hypoallergenic materials, and before you knew it he was an expert on alpacas.”</p><p>“Hey! I am not allergic to everything!”</p><p>“Cariad, I just had to leave the farm in William’s capable hands and rush down from Gwynedd because you landed in hospital with anaphylactic shock.”</p><p>“Ok, fine,” Merlin grumbled, folding his arms over his chest and slouching down on the sofa. </p><p>“Elyan caught the running bug at Uni and did his usual obsessive thing.” Gwen continued. “When I started dating Arthur, Elyan managed to get him hooked on running too – Arthur had just discovered his talent for cooking, and he was afraid of getting fat. The running lasted, the relationship didn’t. But at least I got the best thing in my life out of it.” Gwen ruffled Alicia’s hair. “And Arthur’s cooking, of course.”</p><p>“I suppose there are worse things they could do with their lives,” Hunith said. “Merlin’s ex liked lying, cheating and belittling people.”</p><p>Merlin rolled his eyes. “Yeah, thanks for bringing a downer to the conversation, Mam. Let’s just forget Edwin ever existed, yeah?”</p><p>“Elyan’s latest obsession is plants and bees, as you might be able to tell, and Lance is no better – hence them being dressed like a couple of numpties.” Gwen shrugged. “But yeah, it could be worse. And at least they are all raising money for good causes.”</p><p>“At least Arthur isn’t dressed as a cyberman, talking of obsessions,” Merlin said, sniggering at the mental image of Arthur covered in tin foil.</p><p>“At least none of them are as bad as George and his tuba!” Gwen replied.</p><p>“Honestly Gwen, it’s a Sousaphone, how could you get it wrong?” </p><p>They both started laughing at that until Arthur finally made his way over to speak to Elena, dragging the bees with him. </p><p>Once the race had started, Gwen went up to get dressed. “I love them all, but I am not sitting here watching people running on tv for the next five hours.”</p><p>Once they were all dressed, they took Kilgharrah out to the park. Merlin would have loved to take Kil with them to meet Arthur at the finish line, but decided it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to take him into the busy crowded city, so he gave the dog a good run now before leaving him alone for the afternoon.</p><p>They had a quick lunch and then caught the train into London. Gwen had clearly done this several times before because she seemed to know exactly where to go and before long they had squeezed their way through the crowd and were waiting at the finish line.</p><p>It seemed to take an eternity, they were nearly an hour early for Arthur’s estimated time. Fortunately it was a beautiful day and they indulged in ice cream to make the wait a little more bearable.</p><p>Elena and her camera crew, who were Percy and Gwaine, of course,  came over to wait near Merlin and Gwen and she interviewed them quickly while they waited. The front runners had already crossed the finish line and now the rest of the pack were coming into view.</p><p>“There’s Uncle Elyan!” Alicia started to jump up and down in excitement as a giant bee came into view. “Come on Uncle Elyan!”</p><p>“Come on Elyan!” Gwen shouted. “Where are Lance and Arthur? Can any of you see them?” </p><p>“Is Lance the other bee?” Hunith asked. “I think he’s over there, a bit further back. At least the costumes make them easy to spot!”</p><p>“Wait, I can see him!” Merlin pointed to a Camelot-red shirt halfway between Elyan and Lance. “Come on Arthur!”</p><p>As they got closer, Arthur picked up the pace, drawing level with Elyan – clearly in competition now to see who would win between the two of them. Lance seemed to be concentrating only on putting one foot in front of the other and left them to it.</p><p>Elyan crossed the finish seconds ahead of Arthur. They both looked exhausted, Arthur’s usually bright blond hair now nearly as dark as Merlin’s and partly stuck to his head with sweat and partly standing up at angles where he had run his hand through it. </p><p>“Daddy!” Alicia called, jumping up and down. </p><p>Arthur was still walking as he cooled down, trying to stretch his legs out while pouring water both over his head and into his mouth at the same time. Alicia ran up and hugged him before pulling away and wrinkling her nose.</p><p>“Eww, you’re all sweaty!”</p><p>Arthur laughed. “You try running forty-two kilometers and we’ll see how fresh and rosy you are,” he signed. </p><p>Gwen started cheering as Lance also approached the finish line and Merlin joined in. </p><p>“Hey, what’s with all this clapping for another man?” Arthur pouted as he continued to stretch out his muscles.</p><p>“I cheered for you and Elyan too! What more do you want?”</p><p>“Perhaps this.” </p><p>Arthur suddenly wrapped Merlin in a very sweaty embrace and snogged him, right there in front of half of London and the world’s press. </p><p>Merlin turned to find Percy filming them. Elena and Gwaine, stood just behind him, grinned and gave Merlin a thumbs up. Merlin rolled his eyes and returned the gesture, before turning back to Arthur once more.<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>Press awards tonight! Good luck to all nominees</p><p>
      <span> #pressawards #nerves</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3.5k<span class="twTime"> 7:06 PM • May 23, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>1.7K people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
“Arthur? Are you nearly ready?” Merlin straightened his tie for at least the millionth time as he waited for Arthur to emerge from the bathroom. “We’re going to be late!”</p><p>Gwen stuck her head around the bedroom door. “Is he still not ready? I swear that in all the years I’ve lived with that man, he has never been ready before me! I’ve taken Alicia over to Dad’s and Arthur’s still faffing about. You look very handsome by the way.”</p><p>“Well come in and let me see the dress.”</p><p>Gwen came into the room and gave a twirl, her scarlet dress was gorgeous, the bodice hugging in all the right places to accentuate her petite frame with a wide skirt that was just perfect on her.</p><p>“You look stunning. No one else could have pulled that dress off so well.”</p><p>She blushed. “Thank you. Lamia made it for me.”</p><p>The bathroom door opened and Arthur finally came out, blond locks artfully arranged and tuxedo fitted to perfection.</p><p>“At last, we were starting to think you’d fallen down the plughole,” Merlin said, resisting the urge to go over and mess up Arthur’s hair. </p><p>“The car’s here,” Lance called up the stairs. “Everyone ready?”</p><p>Merlin had never been to anything quite like this. There was an actual red carpet for all the beautiful people like Arthur and Gwen to get photographed and interviewed on as people called their names from the crowd. Merlin felt like a complete imposter tagging along behind them with Lance. </p><p>“Merlin!” someone called from the crowd. “Good luck, we love you! Can we have your autograph?” </p><p>He looked over to find a small group of people waving at him and giving a thumbs up. He grinned and went over to sign various items and take some selfies, stunned that anyone actually remembered his name in the midst of all this. </p><p>“You and Arthur are the cutest couple on the planet!” a girl gushed. Can we get a picture of you together?”</p><p>Arthur must have heard because he came over and put his arm around Merlin for the picture before beckoning Gwen and Lance over as well.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Inside the venue they met up with Elyan and Elena as well as Leon, Mithian and Vivian. </p><p>A free bar proved to be the saving grace of the whole evening, and indeed explained where Gwaine and Percy had got to. </p><p>As the alcohol flowed, Merlin’s nerves eased and he started being able to breathe properly. </p><p>He had no fears of actually getting the award he’d been nominated for; against Arthur’s advice, he hadn’t even bothered preparing a speech. But if the show won something, then the whole lot of them, including Merlin, would be expected to go up on stage, and that coupled with the alcohol made for a very real chance of Merlin falling flat on his face. </p><p>“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the losing team.”</p><p>Merlin glanced up to see the smugly perfect face of Cenred Masters, main anchor for <i>Good Morning Albion</i> and CEO of Albion Productions, stood next to his co-anchor and rumoured love interest, Morgause Gorlois. However, it was the man on Morgause’s other side who made Merlin’s blood run cold.</p><p>“Edwin?”</p><p>“Merlin? I almost didn’t recognise you, you look so tired. Big city life really isn’t agreeing with you, is it? Have you lost weight? You’re even skinnier than I remember. It always was like screwing a bag of bones.” And Edwin smiled that nasty condescending little smile of his that always made Merlin feel about as worthless as a spec of mud.</p><p>Edwin had finally stopped influencing the way Merlin thought of himself; he no longer imagined what nasty things the other man would say about every little aspect of his life. He’d moved on, he’d found someone so much better, and now there Edwin was, larger than life, poised to drag Merlin down once more.</p><p>He felt his cheeks flush and immediately hated himself for still letting this man affect him so much. Why did he care what Edwin thought? </p><p>He felt Arthur move beside him and realised a moment too late that he really needed to stop him.</p><p>“And you might be?” Arthur was using that imperious voice that he must have learnt from his father.</p><p>The smile Edwin turned on Arthur was all charm, with an undercurrent of barbed wire that probably only Merlin picked up on. “Edwin Sinclair. Merlin’s better half.”</p><p>Merlin jerked at that. “Better half? I left you nearly a year ago!”</p><p>“You went off in a strop, yes. But you’ll be back, you always come back. Who else would have you? I have moved to London for you, Merlin. I’m working for Essetir now.”</p><p>Arthur radiated hostility. “I am more than happy to have Merlin in my life, so feel free to go back to the rock you crawled out from.”</p><p>Edwin arched an eyebrow, condescending smirk back in place. He regarded Arthur momentarily before turning back to Merlin. “When pretty boy here grows tired of you, and he will, you know where to find me.”</p><p>Merlin became aware of his hands shaking as he watched Edwin walk away with Cenred. Arthur clasped them in his own. </p><p>“I will never grow tired of you, Merlin. And you will always be too good for a nasty little narcissist like that.”</p><p>Merlin gave a shaky smile but was saved from answering by clapping as the celebrity host, Richard Ayoade, walked out onto the stage. He laughed at the jokes along with everyone else and tried to forget that Edwin was somewhere in the same room as him. </p><p>Arthur squeezed his hand again. </p><p>The first award any of them were up for was Sports Presenter. Both Elena and Arthur were nominated. Merlin thought it might have been awkward and almost found himself hoping that someone else would win, so long as it wasn’t <i>Good Morning Albion</i>. His fears were misfounded however, as Arthur seemed as pleased as anyone to hear Elena’s name get called. She walked up towards the stage, only to go and do the exact thing Merlin was afraid of and tripped over her own feet on her way up the steps to the stage. Heels and long dresses were not exactly at the top of the list of Elena’s favourite things to wear, although Merlin was pretty sure he could achieve the same result with only the excuse of the slippery shoes Arthur had made him wear. </p><p>Merlin soon discovered that these award shows were much much longer than they seemed to be on the telly. They sat through every little award that usually got missed, although he was immensely proud of Percy’s award for cinematography for the shots he’d taken in the snow back in March.  </p><p>Merlin took a chance to nip to the loo hoping his award wouldn’t get called in the meantime – if nothing else he would be required to clap the winner. The queue was horrendous, so many minor celebrities, so much champagne. He moved away in the hope of more toilets somewhere else. Using a quick glamour to stop anyone noticing, he took the stairs up past a ‘Staff Only’ sign and soon found what he was looking for. The peace and quiet for just a few minutes was very welcome. </p><p>He still needed to get his head around Edwin being here. That man had made his life hell, and it had taken moving away for him to really realise just how bad it had been. Constant jibes about his weight (<i>too skinny</i>), his ears (<i>too big</i>), his looks in general (<i>too plain</i>), how bad he was at his job (<i>a joke</i>), how he always said the wrong things (<i>you should hear the way you speak to people</i>) – all just small niggly comments that someone else wouldn’t notice, but over the course of six years they had ground him down till his sense of self worth was nothing.</p><p>Sighing, he washed his hands and peered in the mirror to make sure he didn’t look too awful in case the camera zoomed in on him to get his reaction to not winning. </p><p>“Come on, sweetheart, it’s not that bad.” There was that voice again, he’d heard it so many times in his head that he almost didn’t register the man himself standing behind him. “You could look almost presentable if you did something with your hair.”</p><p>“Edwin, what do you want?”</p><p>“I just wanted to say hello, without your guard dog around. Are you not pleased to see me? You always used to be so pleased to see me.” Edwin walked forward, crowding Merlin against the sink. Merlin couldn’t repress a shudder as Edwin caressed his cheek.</p><p>“Get off me!” He ducked out of the way of those fingers and wriggled out from Edwin’s grasp to stand in the centre of the room. “No, I’m not pleased to see you, Edwin. We broke up, remember? I moved here to get away from you.”</p><p>“Now Merlin, don’t be silly. You know you will always come crawling back to me in the end. Do you really think pretty-boy back there will want to keep you around for long? He’ll never understand you like I do.” Edwin was advancing on him the whole time he was speaking until Merlin was once again backed into a corner.</p><p>Merlin shook his head and shoved Edwin backwards. “No! You are not doing this to me. Not again. Arthur knows. He knows everything, and he accepts me, so bad luck. And I would not go back to you if you were the last person on Earth, you sad, pathetic little man. Now piss off and leave me alone.”</p><p>He was pleased to find his hands were no longer shaking as he yanked the door open. Turning around he looked back at Edwin and found himself wondering why he’d put up with him for so long. “If you’re here, what have you done with my flat in Cardiff?”</p><p>Edwin actually had the gall to smirk at him. “Your flat? Darling, it’s in both our names. And don’t worry, I have a friend staying there looking after it.”</p><p>Merlin snorted. “No, it was always my flat, you just conned me into adding your name to the deeds. You have someone, probably your latest shag, staying there for nothing while I still pay half the mortgage. First thing Monday, I’m going to do what I should have done months ago – what you promised me you’d already done but I somehow doubt it. I’m calling an estate agent and putting it on the market. I’ll get a solicitor if I have to but I <i>will</i> be free of you. I don’t care what you do or where you go. You can go to hell.” He didn’t wait for Edwin’s response, instead heading back downstairs to a man he actually gave a damn about.</p><p>Making his way back to his seat in the auditorium, he suddenly felt lighter than he had done in a very long time.</p><p>“Are you alright?” Arthur whispered as Merlin sat back down.
</p><p>“Are you alright?” Arthur whispered as Merlin sat back down.</p><p>“Never better!” Merlin grinned at him. Even if Edwin turned out to be right and this new relationship didn’t work out, he wouldn’t go back to the misery of life with that worm. At least he had Arthur for the right now, and he would take that happily.</p><p>The award for Best Daytime Show was announced, and Merlin felt a mixture of both delight and horror as <i>Wake Up Camelot</i> was read out as the winner. Elena clutched onto him as they and the rest of the cast and crew made their way up the steps claiming that as the two most likely to fall, they’d balance each other out.</p><p>Agravaine and Uther managed to do most of the talking in accepting the award, the rest of them just standing in the back grinning. Arthur was completely unashamedly holding Merlin’s hand the entire time, even despite the glare Uther sent them.</p><p>Merlin was completely relaxed when his own award was announced, at least until they played showreels, reminding the world about Merlin’s many failures – his skinny frame in the sea at Christmas, him looking like the abominable snowman in March, dressed up as his namesake for World Book Day, and nearly dying from a bee sting. </p><p>He sank down in his seat, cheeks flaming and waited for it to all be over. So positive was he that doll-like Mordred would win, that he missed the name called and started clapping for whoever had won.</p><p>“Merlin!” Arthur hissed, trying to push him upright. “You have to get up there!”</p><p>“What? No, why?” Merlin shook his head in denial. “They didn’t say me.”</p><p>Arthur rolled his eyes and pushed him again. “It is you, of course it’s you. Move.”</p><p>Merlin stumbled up towards the stage again. “Are you sure?” he whispered to the young actor who was presenting the award. He  recognised him as Sacha Dhawan, the new Master in Dr Who. Arthur would be so jealous.</p><p>“Positive.” The Master nodded and showed Merlin the card with his name on. But he was The Master, could he trusted?</p><p>“Right, er…” Merlin turned to the microphone and then, for want of anything else to do, he waved at the audience. There was laughter from the auditorium. </p><p>“Um, I wasn’t exactly expecting this, so I have nothing prepared, sorry. Wow, um… I’ve never won anything before! I suppose I should thank my Mam, um, Gaius, Will because he won’t forgive me if I leave him out. Arthur and Gwen and Alicia… um who else… oh! Gwaine and Percy, the film crew, because if I’m up here so should they be – they went through it all too! And, well, Elyan and Lance for saving my life because without them I wouldn’t be here at all! So, uh, yeah, thanks!” He held up his award, did the thumbs up that everyone seemed to expect from him these days, and then practically ran from the stage to collapse into his seat next to Arthur. </p><p>Arthur grinned at him, looking incredibly proud (and was that a tear in his eye?) and patted him on the back. “Well done!” Then he leant over and kissed Merlin in front of everyone. Merlin was getting sort of used to him doing that.</p><p>It came as little surprise when Gwen won best Daytime Presenter, she’d been dubbed ‘the Nation’s Sweetheart’ often enough and her exposé on the fake Dame Helena had done really well. Arthur didn’t seem to mind not winning anything himself, but then he already had quite a lot of awards, what would another matter?</p><p>“So, Alicia is spending the night at Grandad Tom’s, Gwen is going back to Lance’s place, we have the house to ourselves…” Arthur waggled his eyebrows at Merlin.</p><p>“Is that so? And what could we possibly get up to with an empty house?” </p><p>“Well…” Whatever Arthur had been about to say was interrupted by the arrival of Mordred, Kara and a couple of others that Merlin didn’t know too well. </p><p>“We’re all heading into town to celebrate, are you coming?” On the face of it the invitation was to both of them, but Mordred clearly only had eyes for Arthur. Merlin could help but feel a little sorry for Kara, even though he didn’t particularly like her.</p><p>Arthur gave Mordred an easy smile that didn’t completely reach his eyes and then made a point of wrapping an arm around Merlin’s waist. “Sorry, we have other plans tonight, but you kids enjoy yourselves. I have an award winner to seduce.”</p><p>Merlin was getting past embarrassment, although he thought it was a little bit mean to rub it in that Mordred didn’t win the award. “I don’t think Gwen would be up for that,” he joked.</p><p>“Nah, been there, done that, got the kid,” Gwen said from just behind them. “Merlin is welcome to him. Lance and I are heading out now, enjoy the rest of your evening.” She stretched up on tiptoe and gave them each a kiss on the cheek. </p><p>“You too.” Merlin hugged her. Over her shoulder he spotted Edwin, watching them all with a sour look on his face. Merlin didn’t bother acknowledging him as he linked his arm through Arthur’s – Edwin had no power over him anymore.</p><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>I can’t believe I won!</p><p>
      <br/>
<span> #pressawards #ohmygod #imwithclotpole #arthurscrubsupok</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 8.3k<span class="twTime"> 11:15 PM • May 23, 2020</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>3.8K people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Epilogue – And Finally</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Arthur Pendragon <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeuparthur</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>I can’t believe I’m about to do this! <span class="x1F3A2"><span class="hide">(Roller Coaster )</span></span></p><p>
      <span> #rollercoaster #help #hopearthursurvives</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 1.8M<span class="twTime"> 8:15 AM • April 23, 2021</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>6.6K people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div><p><br/>
How on earth had he let himself get talked into this? </p><p>He was Arthur Pendragon, household name, well respected journalist.</p><p>Why had he been stupid enough to think everyone had forgotten his stupid bet with Elyan just because they hadn’t mentioned it for nearly a year?</p><p>Would it look really bad if he chickened out?</p><p>The rollercoaster lurched unpleasantly as the bar was lowered in front of Arthur to stop him escaping. He attempted to paste a smile on his face. Gwaine and Percy had managed to rig a camera up in front of him so that the nation would see and hear his screams of terror.</p><p>“I hope you’re looking forward to this!” Gwen’s voice sounded over his earpiece. She sounded far too cheerful about Arthur’s impending doom.</p><p>Merlin gave him an encouraging smile from the seat beside him. Uther had argued against Merlin being there too, insisting that Arthur should do this alone, but there were some things where Merlin’s stubbornness won out and Arthur was glad of it. </p><p>They’d forgone the Great Dragon ride as originally suggested, instead waiting till now when the Camlann Coaster, boasting itself as Europe’s highest rollercoaster, made its debut.</p><p>The horrendous contraption started to roll forward, slowly at first but picking up speed as it went. This was a terrible idea, he wanted off this thing, why oh why had he ever agreed? Was it too late to get off, he needed to get off…</p><p>They started their ascent to the top of the rollercoaster, supposedly the highest in the country. Arthur was going to be sick.</p><p>They paused as they reached the top, just to make the whole thing even worse. </p><p>He was going to die, he was going to plummet to his death, this was it. Forgetting  about the camera pointing at him, Arthur turned to Merlin.</p><p>“I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too.” Merlin’s beautiful smile eased his nerves somewhat. Everything would be fine if he could just keep this man by his side forever. And the power he had – why was Arthur even scared with Merlin by his side? Merlin wouldn’t let anything happen. Merlin was his destiny… Why did he fight it so long when it was so obvious…</p><p>“Merlin, what would you say to…” he started to say as the rollercoaster lurched forward. “Marr—aaaaaa<span class="big">aaaaaaaaaaaa<span class="big">aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh<span class="big">hhhhhhhhhhhh<span class="big">hhhhhhhhhhhh<span class="big">hhhhhhhhhhh</span>!</span>”</span></span></span> </p><p>The world dropped sharply out from beneath him, his stomach rose up to his mouth, and any thoughts other than absolute terror fled from Arthur’s mind.</p><p>They finally drew to a halt and Arthur was left wondering if he’d ever be able to stand or if he would have to stay stuck in this seat forever. But then he’d have to do that again, and he was never getting on another rollercoaster for as long as he lived. Arthur genuinely felt ill and was reminded of Merlin being sick on his first story. Why did people do this for fun? This was not fun! </p><p>His legs wobbled beneath him as he tried to stand up.</p><p>“Hey,” Merlin caught hold of him. “What was that you were going to say? On the top of the rollercoaster?”</p><p>Arthur looked at him. All he had to do now was deny it. The camera might have caught it, of course, and even right now, Percy was waiting just the other side of the gate for them and probably recording all of this. Trust Merlin to pick his moment. </p><p>He could laugh it off as nerves, or a joke…</p><p>Merlin’s big guileless blue eyes were watching him, waiting for an answer. Hell’s teeth but Merlin was beautiful, he always clouded Arthur’s brain.</p><p>“I believe I was about to ask you to marry me.” Ok, maybe he chickened out and didn’t say it out loud, instead opting to sign it; the deaf viewers would have one up on everyone else.</p><p>Merlin blinked at him. He seemed to have understood, a year’s worth of being taught sign language by Alicia had paid off. “What about that whole, ‘marriage is an outdated concept’ speech?” That sexy as hell Welsh accent… and whenever Merlin actually spoke Welsh Arthur was done for – he’d actually had to scuttle out of Editorial one time with a very inappropriate reaction to it.</p><p>Arthur shrugged, his whole face felt like it was on fire and Percy was still filming. “I guess sometimes I can be wrong.” He was still signing, which was stupid because Merlin wasn’t so now the deaf viewers were getting one half of the conversation and the hearing viewers the other half.</p><p>“So… you don’t want to marry me?” Merlin cocked his head to one side, a small line creasing his brow.</p><p>Arthur was quite sure his brain had stopped intervening sometime before he even got on that damned rollercoaster. It definitely wasn’t there when he found himself dropping down on one knee.</p><p>“Merlin Emrys, I would very much like it if you would be my husband.” That time he managed words and signs, and he didn’t even really know why he was signing at all. He was never going to hear the end of this.</p><p>Merlin blinked at him for a bit and Arthur started to feel rather silly, kneeling there on the floor of an amusement park while Percy filmed him and Gwaine was no doubt laughing his arse off.</p><p>“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”</p><p>Actually, Arthur was starting to change his mind, Merlin was a little shit. Maybe he could just run away somewhere where he wouldn’t be known forever more as that idiot that asked someone to marry them on breakfast television.</p><p>Then his brain stopped overthinking everything, because Merlin was laughing and pulling him to his feet and then kissing him while he could still feel the laughter bubbling through him.</p><p>“Yes, you <i>prat</i>. Of course I’ll marry you.”<br/>
</p>
<hr class="hr"/><p><br/>
</p>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Arthur Pendragon <span class="twVerified">✔</span><br/>
<span class="twHandle">@wakeuparthur</span></span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>He said yes!  <span class="x1F48D"><span class="hide">(Ring )</span></span></p><p>
      <span> #uhoh #gettingmarried</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 3.9M<span class="twTime"> 10:05 AM • April 23, 2021</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>
      <span>4.3K people are talking about this</span>
    </p></div></div>
<p></p><div class="tw twBody">
<p></p><div class="twUser"><p>
      
      <span>Merlin Emrys <span class="twVerified">✔</span></span>
    </p><p>
      <span>
        <span class="twHandle">@wakeupmerlin</span>
      </span>
    </p></div><div class="twText"><p>What have I let myself in for? <span class="x1F48D"><span class="hide">(Ring )</span></span> <span class="x1F46C"><span class="hide">(Two Men Holding Hands )</span></span> 🌈<span class="x1F44D"><span class="hide">(Thumbs Up Sign ≊ Thumbs Up)</span></span> <span class="x1F44D"><span class="hide">(Thumbs Up Sign ≊ Thumbs Up)</span></span> <span class="x1F44D"><span class="hide">(Thumbs Up Sign ≊ Thumbs Up)</span></span></p></div><div class="twBody twEmbed">
<p></p><div class="twUserEmbed"><p>
        
        <span>Arthur Pendragon<span class="twVerifiedEmbed">✔</span><span class="twHandleEmbed">@wakeuparthur</span></span>
      </p></div><div class="twText"><p>He said yes! <span class="x1F48D"><span class="hide">(Ring )</span></span><span> #uhoh #gettingmarried</span></p></div></div><div class="twText"><p>
<span> #getting married</span><br/>
</p></div><div class="twStats"><p>❤ 5.1M<span class="twTime"> 10:34 AM • April 23, 2021</span></p></div><div class="twComments"><p>6.5K people are talking about this</p></div></div><p><br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><b>Please remember to go and leave comments/kudos on LFB's wonderful art! </b><br/>The art can be found here:<br/><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25955284">https://archiveofourown.org/works/25955284</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Post-it notes created using this tutorial:<br/><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/A_Guide_to_Coding_and_Fanworks/works/4390949">https://archiveofourown.org/collections/A_Guide_to_Coding_and_Fanworks/works/4390949</a></p>
<p>Tweets created using this tutorial:<br/><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22517134">https://archiveofourown.org/works/22517134</a></p>
<p>Emojis created using this tutorial:<br/><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/6580324">https://archiveofourown.org/works/6580324</a></p></blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25955284">Art: Wake up Camelot</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72">LFB72</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div></div></div>
</body>
</html>